Kazakhstan Joins Abraham Accords: Expanding Middle East Peace Initiative Under Trump Administration

Kazakhstan announced on Thursday its intention to join the Abraham Accords with Israel, describing the move as "natural and logical" for the nation.

The Central Asian republic is expected to become the newest signatory to the Abraham Accords between Israel and predominantly Muslim nations, representing a symbolic advancement in US President Donald Trump's Middle East peace initiative.

Unlike the four Arab states that normalized relations with Israel under the original accords during Trump's first term, Kazakhstan has maintained diplomatic ties with Israel for decades.

As Trump works to strengthen his fragile Gaza ceasefire agreement, Washington is actively seeking additional support for a broader peace initiative in the region.

The formal announcement regarding Kazakhstan's participation is anticipated during a White House meeting later Thursday, where Trump will host Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev alongside leaders from the other four Central Asian republics, according to a US official.

In an official statement, Kazakhstan's government explained: "Our anticipated accession to the Abraham Accords represents a natural and logical continuation of Kazakhstan's foreign policy course -- grounded in dialogue, mutual respect, and regional stability."

US special envoy Steve Witkoff had earlier revealed that a new country would be joining the accords, initially generating speculation—later dismissed—about Saudi Arabia's potential involvement.

"I'm flying back to Washington tonight because we're going to announce, tonight, another country coming into the Abraham Accords," Witkoff stated at the America Business Forum in Miami.

Kazakhstan will become the first new member since the original Abraham Accords were established in 2020, when the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco normalized diplomatic relations with Israel.

Saudi Arabia had previously engaged in discussions with the United States regarding normalizing ties with Israel, which would represent a historic milestone given the kingdom's status as home to Islam's two holiest sites.

However, the Gulf kingdom suspended these talks following the outbreak of the Gaza war after Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023.

Saudi Arabia has consistently maintained that normalization of relations depends on progress toward an independent Palestinian state, a prospect long opposed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

During the Miami forum on Wednesday, Trump stated, "We have a lot of people joining now the Abraham Accords and hopefully we are going to get Saudi Arabia very soon." He then jokingly added to an audience that included Saudi Ambassador to the United States, Princess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud, "But I'm not saying that. I'm not."

The US-brokered Gaza ceasefire has remained in effect since October 10, though tensions persist. Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the return of hostages' remains and has conducted several operations despite the truce, claiming its forces were attacked. Israel also contends that Hamas is not sufficiently surrendering its weapons.

Witkoff, who played a key role in the negotiations, expressed optimism about the ceasefire's durability, noting they were "right in the middle of standing up a decommissioning process of weapons" by Hamas.

Hamas has indicated that this disarmament process would be contingent upon deploying an international security force, which would be authorized under a draft UN Security Council resolution recently presented by the United States, according to Witkoff.