Countries of the Abraham Accords Hold First Meeting Since October 7 Attacks

Officials from the foreign ministries of the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco met for the first time since the October 7 attacks to advance regional normalization in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

For the first time, officials from Kazakhstan joined the Abraham Accords countries, having expressed interest in joining the agreements last year.

The U.S. delegation was led by Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs Alison Hale, who said: "After nearly three years since October 7, the Abraham Accords countries are back together," adding that President Trump brokered the historic agreements during his first term, and Thursday marked a significant sign that the accords "are moving forward once again."

The meeting was hosted by N7 Foundation, a U.S.-based organization that has convened multilateral gatherings of Abraham Accords countries since 2021.

Jeffrey Talbott, founder of the N7 Foundation and chair of the meeting, said: "The next phase is about deepening existing relationships and identifying practical opportunities for countries to work together."

Another senior administration official told CBS News that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s team and Steve Witkoff, the White House special envoy for peace initiatives, "are clearly prioritizing this effort."

Also attending were Arieh Laitster, Special Advisor to the Peace Council, an international coalition dedicated to peace and reconstruction in Gaza, Ryan Arant, Chief of Staff to Assistant Secretary Hale at the Department of State, and Oren Eisner, President of the N7 Foundation.

Participants discussed next steps to formalize cooperation among Abraham Accords countries, according to a source familiar with the meeting. Talbott said: "The Abraham Accords have shown what is possible when nations unite around shared interests and a shared vision for a more integrated and prosperous region."

Source: cbs news