Amid escalating conflict in the Middle East, United States President Donald Trump on Friday urged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords. He asserted that the Middle East is closer than ever to being "finally free" from what he described as Iranian terror and nuclear coercion. Addressing the Future Investment Initiative Priority Summit in Florida, Trump pushed Saudi Arabia to normalise relations with Israel, claiming that he “saved” the Middle East from Iran.
Trump Pushes Saudi Arabia To Join Abraham Accords
“We saved not just Israel, we saved the Middle East, and it was proven by all those rockets that fired down upon you. Saudi Arabia got hit a lot,” Trump said. He asserted that the region would be transformed, highlighting that it has never “looked brighter” than it is now. During his address, Trump mentioned the Abraham Accords and expressed hope that Saudi Arabia would join it soon.
ALSO READ: Russian Oil Tanker Nears Cuba Amid US Blockade; Is Moscow Sending Larger Message To Trump Admin?
He further described Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman as reluctant in the past to join the accords, but since diplomatic relationships between Israel and some Middle East nations have improved during his term, he expects the country to join soon. “We did the Abraham Accords. I hope you're going to be getting into the Abraham Accords finally,” Trump said.
What Is Abraham Accords?
Abraham Accords, a series of joint agreements signed in 2020 that normalised diplomatic relations between Israel and four Arab nations, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco were mediated by the US. Saudi Arabia has not joined it so far. If the country decides to join it, it will also mean that it now formally recognises Israel.
Countries Who Have Not Recognised Israel
As of 2026, approximately 29 to 30 United Nations member states do not maintain diplomatic relations with or officially recognise Israel. These countries are majorly located in the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Asia.
Algeria, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, and Yemen do not recognise Israel in the Middle East and North Africa.
In Asia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, and North Korea also don't formally recognise Israel.
Comoros, Djibouti, Mali, Niger, and Somalia in Africa and Bolivia, Cuba, and Venezuela in the Americas have not recognised Israel so far.