Peace can not be forced between two sovereign countries in conflict. Nations might mediate, offer financial aid, and knot them up in diplomatic and strategic relations, but the ultimate Excalibur of peace lies in the hands of the belligerents.
The Israel–Palestine conflict is not just about political muscle-flexing but about survival and freedom. It is also deeply rooted in the religious ground, hovering around Jerusalem – a sacred place for all Abrahamic religions, Jews, Muslims and Christians. The concerned parties are not only fighting for their survival and independence but also are unwilling to ‘share’ their holy religious site.
Blind faith and loyalty towards their respective religions have deepened the conflict and blocked solutions over time. Bloodier wars crush very effort at peace. It is not peace that’s fragile. It is the lack of desire to embrace each other on the same piece of land.
Knowing the complexity of the conflict and multiple failed attempts to bring peace, this article aims to study the Abraham Accord (2020). The accord was mediated by the US among Israel and the Arab states in the region in order to bring peace and prosperity. However, the accord failed to bring or maintain peace in the region.
Washington’s Illusion of Mediation
The neoliberal world order barely takes any unconditional step, even if it is for humanitarian assistance to disaster-stricken regions or for mediating wars. America’s enthusiasm to be the mediator of peace had a hidden intention: First, to assert its power in West Asia by sidelining the growing influence of Iran’s economic and military capabilities.
Second, It served as an eyewash to depict the US as a harbinger of peace, while the accord was more about securing domestic electoral leverage and projecting illusory optimism among West Asian nations.
The “Peace to Prosperity” Accord was heavy on signing deals and negotiations among Israel and Arab nations, with favours skewed towards Israel, all while marginalising the core and lasting issue of Palestinians and ignoring the voice of the suffering people.
Excluded and Enraged, Hamas after the accords
Hamas was not on the page of peaceful settlement of the Palestinian issue. Article 13 of the Doctrine of Hamas clearly states, “Initiatives and so-called peaceful solutions and international conferences are in contradiction to the principles of the Islamic Resistance Movement”. The article explicitly states that any peace talks, negotiations, or international diplomacy aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are unacceptable.
Under the Abraham Accords, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain signed normalisation agreements with Israel in 2020, followed by Sudan and Morocco announcing similar agreements later that year. Most of the signatories follow the Sunni sect of Islam, like Hamas. Hamas perceived the accord as its fellow Sunni nations who promised brotherhood stab in the back.
These normalisation agreements with Israel paved the way for a stronger regional front against Iran’s military influence, as Tehran is known for training and arming Hamas and other proxy groups. All these led to a crack in the hope of peace in West Asia.
From Law to Land: Israel’s Strategy of Exclusion
Israel and Hamas both, by virtue, spirit, and action, demonstrate their sheer unwillingness to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian issue. Israel’s 2018 Nation-State Law sparked controversy as it declared Hebrew the official language, giving Arabic a “special status” despite its wide use. The law also defined the establishment of Jewish settlements as a national value and affirmed that the right to national self-determination in Israel is unique to the Jewish people. This shows that Israel holds a demeaning perspective toward non-Jewish Palestinians, steadily moving away from any commitment to peace. Israel has never stopped encroaching into West Bank regions, evicting Palestinians, or provoking clashes at holy Islamic sites like Al-Aqsa. These actions clearly reflect deep-rooted hostility and an unwillingness to arrive at a just resolution.
Hamas’s brutal attack on civilians on October 7 has effectively shut the already narrow window for peace. Despite the signing of the Abraham Accords, Israel largely sidelined the Palestinian issue, prioritising new diplomatic ties, high-level regional engagements, and the projection of military superiority—while reaping the benefits of “peace treaties” that left the Palestinian people excluded and marginalised.
The Unraveling
The genesis of this conflict is historical, but the refusal to end it is intentional. For world leaders, it is either a vote-bank auction, a religious wrestling ring, or a ground for geopolitical muscle-flexing. Meanwhile, in the war zones, children starve, women die stripped of dignity, and men are crushed under fallen buildings.
The Abraham Accord now lies torn and lifeless, soaked in the grief of innocent Palestinians and Israelis. Peace is promised every time, but the cracks within each attempt only deepen despair.
References
1. Al Jazeera. The Utter Failure of the Abraham Accords. July 10, 2024. https://share.google/Plb4mJe1GhqevoCfb
2. Atlantic Council. As the Israel-Hamas War Continues, the Abraham Accords Quietly Turns Four. July 9, 2024. https://share.google/CvgR2kcz7xPGkfDUs
3. BBC News. What Is Hamas and Why Is It Fighting with Israel in Gaza? July 9, 2024.
https://share.google/DxKEhk2I3zGowEgJ1
4. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The Abraham Accords After Gaza: A Change of Context. July 10, 2024. https://share.google/ogqMyeCsDZRkamkxe
5. Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State. Milestones in the History of U.S. Foreign Relations. July 8, 2024. https://share.google/7YEJtjwM0WsSMedsa
6. Vox. Israel’s Controversial New “Jewish Nation-State” Law, Explained. July 11, 2024.
https://share.google/C8xNaFX9EuzVId8P4
7. Wilson Center. Doctrine of Hamas. July 10, 2024. https://share.google/8EWsTTIS2jzeIlWmv
8. Wilson Center. Separate and Unequal in Israel: The Foundations of Discriminatory Law. July 11, 2024. https://share.google/fZ6d2Jy8ASZaS9Qj9
9. Three Years of the Abraham Accords. July 10, 2024. https://share.google/yrxPuI2Fvk9jNNZSk