In January 2022, a group of eight US Congress members, half from the Senate and half from the House, came together to form a bipartisan Abraham Accords Caucus. Building on the success of the US-brokered Abraham Accords, this initiative will actively promote Arab-Israeli cooperation all the way from Washington, DC.
The new caucus’s co-founders include James Lankford, Jacky Rosen, Joni Ernst, Cory Booker, Cathy McMorris Rodgers, David Trone, Ann Wagner and Brad Schneider. Made up of both Democrats and Republicans, this ambitious group is demonstrating how both political parties can work together despite recent and rising tensions. Together, they are inspiring the global community to follow in the UAE’s footsteps and normalize diplomatic relations with Israel.
So far, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco have followed suit and transformed the Middle East as we know it. These normalization deals have already helped to enhance Israel’s security agenda, to spark economic growth across the region and to advance US national security interests.
Carrying on the legacy of the 2020 normalization agreement, the new caucus has set out to:
- Expand the Abraham Accords to include countries that have not yet established diplomatic relations with Israel.
- Highlight the many benefits of the Abraham Accords, with an emphasis on achieving lasting peace in the Middle East.
- Encourage ally countries to support and promote the Abraham Accords agenda.
- Foster religious freedom and cultural understanding through interfaith and intercultural dialogue.
- Support US Government investments, including the International Development Finance Corporation and US Agency for International Development (USAID), in projects that further the accords.
- Serve as a forum among leaders in like-minded countries who seek to advance sustainable development in energy security, water infrastructure, biomedicine, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies.
Proud to be a part of such a transformative movement, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers stated the following:
“The bipartisan, bicameral Abraham Accords Caucus will provide a unique opportunity for world leaders to come together in our common pursuit of creating a better, safer, and more prosperous world for our children and grandchildren. I am proud to lead this caucus with my colleagues, and I appreciate the support of our partners seeking to uphold and promote the values of human dignity, freedom, and hope around the globe. I am encouraged by the progress we have made, and I look forward to the amazing things we can accomplish together through our shared commitment to a better future in the name of peace.”
Congressman Brad Schneider added, “The Abraham Accords have already made historic progress in changing the dynamic of the entire Middle East, and hold the hope for more steps towards regional peace. I am proud to be a founding member of the bipartisan Abraham Accords Caucus, which will further Congress’s work toward ensuring a secure, Jewish and democratic Israel living side by side with a Palestinian state – with peace, security and prosperity for both peoples. I thank Senators Lankford, Rosen, Ernst, and Booker and Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Trone, and Wagner for their partnership in forming this caucus.”
Since its launch, the Abraham Accords Caucus has received global support from several pro-Israel groups including the Atlantic Council, the Abraham Accords Peace Institute and the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).
These groups have also played a major role in the Israel Relations Normalization Act, focused on pushing Joe Biden’s administration to take part in expanding the Abraham Accords for the foreseeable future.
With these goals in mind, the UAE and the US have become an increasingly prominent force in peacekeeping efforts across the Middle East. Together, they have not only sparked a new paradigm for the region but pushed the boundaries of what is possible for the Arab community.
To learn more about the global impact behind the Abraham Accords, visit the following links: