The Abraham Accords, a joint statement that appeared after reaching the peace deal between Israel, the UAE and the US in August last year, were established as a new concept that might shift the political landscape in the region.

These recent developments highlight the potential of politics to influence religion, and political exploitation of religion can often mask and overtake the underlying faith and belief structures...

There are many challenges faced by the Abraham Accords, particularly the ability to be more inclusive of particular religious leaders who hold legitimacy in their sects or religions. The potential for success in this approach is based on its capacity to be as inclusive as possible for various cultural and religious groups and taking into consideration the difficulties of tackling deep rooted conflicts that cannot be solved from just a religious perspective.

The Abraham Accords Declaration

We, the undersigned, recognize the importance of maintaining and strengthening peace in the Middle East and around the world based on mutual understanding and coexistence, as well as respect for human dignity and freedom, including religious freedom.

We encourage efforts to promote interfaith and intercultural dialogue to advance a culture of peace among the three Abrahamic religions and all humanity.

We believe that the best way to address challenges is through cooperation and dialogue and that developing friendly relations among States advances the interests of lasting peace in the Middle East and around the world.

We seek tolerance and respect for every person in order to make this world a place where all can enjoy a life of dignity and hope, no matter their race, faith or ethnicity.

We support science, art, medicine, and commerce to inspire humankind, maximize human potential and bring nations closer together.

We seek to end radicalization and conflict to provide all children a better future.

We pursue a vision of peace, security, and prosperity in the Middle East and around the world.

In this spirit, we warmly welcome and are encouraged by the progress already made in establishing diplomatic relations between Israel and its neighbors in the region under the principles of the Abraham Accords. We are encouraged by the ongoing efforts to consolidate and expand such friendly relations based on shared interests and a shared commitment to a better future.

When it comes to the Arab world, many of the conflicts are from within. The split between Sunni and Shia alone demonstrates the importance of dealing with the issue of the Arab Shia and ensuring representation of these people who have been distanced from political power as they have been seen for so long as part of the Iranian influence. Therefore, it is quite challenging for the Abraham Accords to include a Shia representation and not to be limited to the Sunni world.