Israel
Kazakhstan to join Abraham Accords
The Central Asian state already has diplomatic relations with Israel, but the US believes its addition can give the agreements ‘momentum’ ahead of potential Saudi inclusion
November 7, 2025 10:25
The Central Asian state already has diplomatic relations with Israel, but the US believes its addition can give the agreements ‘momentum’ ahead of potential Saudi inclusion
November 7, 2025 10:25The Trump administration has announced that Kazakhstan will become the latest country to join the Abraham Accords.
The president reportedly sees the addition of the Central Asian state as a significant step, since it is a non-Arab but Muslim-majority country.
"It will become the alliance for Arab-Muslim ties with Israel," one US official told the Times of Israel.
The Accords, drawn up in 2020 during Trump's first term, were originally designed to facilitate the normalisation of relations between Israel and Arab states.
But Kazakhstan will become the first nation to join while already having diplomatic ties with Israel, after they were established in 1992.
Nevertheless, Vice President JD Vance told reporters the addition would give the Accords "momentum".
"What the president has done is signal that the momentum of the Abraham Accords is alive and well in the second administration," he told reporters.
"It’s not just going to be Kazakhstan, but also several other countries that join in the months to come."
"You’re now creating a partnership that brings special and unique economic development on all sorts of issues… The strength of it is to have majority Muslim countries and the Jewish state able to partner on things to show the world that it is possible," added Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
However, the prospective jewel in the crown of the Accords - Saudi Arabia - remains elusive.
Trump indicated during a recent speech that he was hopeful the Kingdom would join, but clarified that he was "not lobbying" for it.
His comments came amid reports that Saudi Arabia was willing to compromise on the issue of Palestinian statehood, which it had previously made a condition of any normalisation with Israel.
The Kingdom is also understood to be looking to purchase F-35 jets, which are manufactured by a US defence contractor Lockheed Martin.
Reuters reported last week that the request to buy as many as 48 of the jets is currently working its way through the Pentagon’s clearance procedures, and would still require sign-off from the president.
However, some pro-Israel voices have expressed concern at the report, claiming the multi-billion-dollar deal could contravene the US commitment to maintain Israel’s “qualitative military edge” in the region.
Israel is currently the only Middle Eastern state that is allowed to purchase F-35s.
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