Thorough and judicious, this book offers a welcome analysis of the Abraham Accords, the U.S.-brokered diplomatic agreements signed in 2020 that for the first time formalized diplomatic relations between Israel and four Arab countries: Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates. Some Israelis were especially excited about the accords, which have allowed them to travel more widely, particularly to the UAE, and have allowed Israel to ink numerous new trade deals, notably in advanced technology, missile defense systems, and cybersecurity. The absolutist Sunni monarchies of the Gulf took advantage of the agreements to burnish their reputations for interfaith religious tolerance even as they cracked down on Shiite Muslims at home. Although the accords were often portrayed in the United States as a step toward Arab-Israeli peace, the failure to address the Palestinian question has made it hard to build on the deals. Fakhro, an analyst at Harvard, also provides an unusual and very welcome focus on Bahrain, so often overshadowed by its bigger neighbors, in this valuable guide for Middle East policymakers.
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