The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday issued a sharp warning that any Israeli annexation of the West Bank would constitute a “red line” for Abu Dhabi and severely undermine the Abraham Accords that normalised relations between the two countries.
The warning came after Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for Israel to annexe 82% of the West Bank and announced that maps were being drawn up for annexing territory in the region. Smotrich had urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to support the annexation move.
Lana Nusseibeh, UAE Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, told Reuters that “annexation in the West Bank would constitute a red line for the UAE” and would end the pursuit of regional integration. She emphasised that the UAE viewed the Abraham Accords “as a way to enable our continued support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspiration for an independent state.”
Israeli sources indicate that the West Bank sovereignty discussions have been removed from Thursday’s scheduled government meeting agenda following the UAE warning.
The meeting will instead focus on security conditions in the region ahead of the UN General Assembly, where several countries are expected to recognise Palestinian statehood.
The UAE’s criticism represents its sharpest condemnation of Israel since the Gaza war began in October 2023, marking significant diplomatic pressure from Israel’s most prominent Arab partner under the normalisation agreements signed during US President Donald Trump’s first term.
The UAE’s fellow Gulf Arab states joined in condemning what they termed dangerous and suspicious calls for annexation. UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday to discuss Gaza, with both leaders emphasising the need for a two-state solution to ensure regional stability.