Arabs vs. Jews? Maybe Not | Ambassador Ron Dermer

Why the Abraham Accords Matter More Than You Think

Arabs vs. Jews: if you’ve ever felt that the Middle East is a tangled knot of endless wars, you’re not alone. It’s easy to think that everything boils down to the Israeli‑Palestinian dispute, but the reality is a lot richer, a lot messier, and, thanks to a handful of bold moves, also a lot brighter. We’ll walk through big ideas from a recent conversation with Ambassador Ron Dermer, break them down into bite‑size pieces, and see why the Abraham Accords could be the first real step toward a calmer, more prosperous region.

Understanding the Abraham Accords

First things first: what exactly are the Abraham Accords? In the summer of 2020, Israel signed normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. Within weeks, Sudan and Morocco followed suit. In less than a year, four Arab nations went from “no talk” to “let’s do business together.” That’s a speed‑run that would have seemed impossible just a decade earlier.

The accords are not a single peace treaty; they are a series of diplomatic bridges that let countries trade, share technology, and cooperate on security.

What makes them special isn’t just the headlines. It’s the fact that they cut through a 70‑year pattern where Israel signed peace deals with only two Arab states, Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994. Suddenly, the region went from two agreements over 70 years to four in a few months. That tells us something fundamental changed under the surface.

Why the Middle East Isn’t Just One Conflict

It’s tempting to paint the whole region with one brush: “the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict.” But that’s a shortcut that hides the real drivers of tension. Think of the Middle East as a chessboard with several battles happening at once:

• Modernity vs. Medievalism: Some governments are racing toward high‑tech economies, while others cling to older, more rigid ideologies.
• Sunni vs. Shia power struggles: Iran’s Shia influence pushes against Sunni‑led Gulf states.
• External actors: The United States, Russia, and China each have their own stakes.

Reducing the region to a single “Israel‑Palestine” story is like trying to explain a symphony by only listening to the violins.

When you separate these threads, you see why a diplomatic breakthrough on one front (Israel‑UAE) can happen even if the Palestinian issue stays stuck. The Accords are a piece of a larger puzzle, not the whole picture.

The Shift From Medievalism to Modernity

One of the biggest forces behind the Accords is the battle between “modernity” and “medievalism.” In the early 2000s, many Gulf leaders saw the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict as a useful distraction. They believed it to be a way to keep their own populations focused on an external enemy. But a decade later, the calculus shifted.

Why? A few key reasons:

1. The Arab Spring: Revolts in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and beyond showed that regimes could be toppled overnight. Leaders wanted stability more than ever.
2. Iran’s rise: A powerful Shia state with nuclear ambitions threatened both Sunni Gulf monarchies and Israel.
3. U.S. pull‑back: The “800‑pound gorilla” of American troops started to leave, leaving a vacuum that regional powers felt compelled to fill.
4. Israel’s tech boom: Israel now punches far above its 9‑million‑person weight in cyber, AI, water tech, and more. That makes it an attractive partner for economies looking to diversify.

When the tiger (Iran) and the leopard (ISIS) get bigger, the smaller animals start looking for a stronger ally.

In short, the Gulf states realized that partnering with a modern, innovative Israel could help them outpace the threats from Iran and the chaos of radical groups. The old “boycott Israel” script no longer served their long‑term interests.

Saudi Arabia’s Quiet Hand

Even though Saudi Arabia isn’t a signatory to the Accords (yet), its role is huge. The kingdom has long been the region’s “Wahhabi” powerhouse, funding a brand of Islam that spread far beyond its borders. After 9/11, the Saudis faced intense pressure to change course. Over the years, they quietly began to soften their stance.

Here’s how the Saudis helped the Accords without making a big public splash:

• Airspace: Flights from Israel to the UAE have to cross Saudi airspace. The kingdom opened its skies, a subtle but critical green light.
• Back‑channel support: Senior Saudi officials met behind closed doors with Israeli diplomats, sharing intelligence on Iran and discussing economic cooperation.
• Public messaging: While still cautious, Saudi media started to tone down anti‑Israel rhetoric, allowing the public to see a different narrative.

The Saudis acted like the invisible hand that nudged the chess pieces into place.

It’s a delicate dance. The kingdom still has to manage a population that has been taught for decades to view Israel as an enemy. But the strategic benefits, namely, security against Iran, access to Israeli tech, and a chance to modernize, outweigh the political risk.

U.S. Policy: Confront Iran & Embrace Israel

American policy played a starring role in the drama. Three pillars made the Accords possible:

1. Confront Iran: The Trump administration shifted from appeasement to a hard line—killing Qasem Soleimani, withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal, and slapping sanctions. That sent a clear signal to Gulf states: “We’re serious about stopping Iran.”
2. Embrace Israel: Moving the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing the Golan Heights, and openly supporting Israel’s security gave Arab leaders confidence that aligning with Israel wouldn’t alienate Washington.
3. Take the Palestinian veto off the table: By not making the Israeli‑Palestinian issue a precondition for any Arab‑Israeli deal, the U.S. let the Gulf states negotiate on their own terms.

When the U.S. stopped dancing around Iran and started standing with Israel, the Gulf countries saw a clear path forward.

The current Biden administration has taken a different tack—re‑engaging with Iran and being more cautious on Israel‑related moves. That shift could slow the momentum, but the underlying forces (Iran’s threat, Israel’s tech, Gulf modernization) remain. If future U.S. leaders recognize the same three‑pillar formula, the Accords could continue to expand.

What Comes Next For the Region

So, where do we go from here? The conversation with Ambassador Dermer points to a few realistic next steps:

• More Arab signatories: Morocco and Sudan already joined. The next logical candidates are Saudi Arabia, Oman, and perhaps even Qatar. Each new deal adds economic weight and depth of security.
• People‑to‑people ties: Business delegations, university exchanges, and tourism will turn diplomatic headlines into everyday reality. When a Saudi student studies cyber‑security in Tel Aviv, the abstract becomes personal.
• Contain Iran: A united front of Israel and Gulf states, backed by the U.S., can keep Iran’s regional ambitions in check without resorting to open war.
• Address the Palestinian question: While the Accords don’t solve the Israeli‑Palestinian conflict, they create a new environment where moderate Palestinian voices can push for economic cooperation rather than perpetual conflict.

The more bridges we build, the harder it becomes for anyone to burn them all at once.

It won’t be a smooth ride. There will be setbacks, political scandals, and hard‑liners on every side. But the momentum is real, and the stakes are high enough that many leaders are willing to take the risk.

Takeaway: A New Chapter Is Possible

Here’s the short version regarding Arabs vs. Jews you can share at the dinner table:

1. The Abraham Accords are a fast‑forward of decades‑old peace talks, sparked by a shift in Gulf interests.
2. The Middle East is a web of modernity vs. medievalism, Sunni vs. Shia, and external powers—not just Israel vs. Palestine.
3. Saudi Arabia, though not a signatory, quietly cleared the runway for the deals.
4. U.S. policy that confronts Iran and backs Israel created the right environment; a change in that policy could slow things down.
5. More Arab nations can join, people‑to‑people ties will grow, and the region could finally tilt toward stability.

When you look at the whole picture, the Abraham Accords feel less like a miracle and more like a logical step forward.

We’re at a moment where old narratives are being challenged, and new partnerships are forming. It’s not a perfect story, but it’s a hopeful one. If you’re curious about the details, dive into the full interview with Ambassador Dermer. There’s a lot more nuance and a few entertaining anecdotes (like the surprise meeting with the Burundian ambassador) that make the history feel alive.