Abraham Accords Nations Reunite for First Official Talks Since October 7

U.S. diplomats initiated discussions on expanding the Abraham Accords from a Manhattan office tower, located just ten blocks from the United Nations General Assembly, on Thursday morning. State Department officials participated in the first official gathering of Abraham Accords nations since the Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023, which halted plans to broaden the agreements.

The meeting included representatives from the United States, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco. Joining them for the first time were officials from Kazakhstan, which had expressed interest in joining the accords the previous year.

Allison Hooker, the Under Secretary of Political Affairs, led the U.S. delegation. She stated that nearly three years after the October 7 attacks, the signatory countries are reconvening. Hooker noted that President Trump brokered the historic agreements during his first term and described Thursday’s gathering as a significant indicator that the accords are advancing again.

Kazakhstan Ambassador Erzhan Kazykhan emphasized the economic and diplomatic potential of the framework. He told CBS News that the accords serve as a platform to strengthen political dialogue across the Middle East and surrounding regions through increased trade, investment, technological cooperation, and connectivity.

The event was hosted by the N7 Foundation, a U.S.-based organization that has facilitated multilateral meetings for these nations since 2021. Jeffrey Talpins, the foundation’s founder and meeting chair, described the upcoming phase as focused on deepening existing relationships and identifying practical collaborative opportunities.

A senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, indicated that Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s team and White House Special Envoy for Peace Missions Steve Witkoff are prioritizing this diplomatic effort. Other attendees included Aryeh Lightstone, special adviser to the Board of Peace, Ryan Arant, chief of staff to Hooker, and Oren Eisner, president of the N7 Foundation.

The Abraham Accords, first signed in 2020 toward the end of Trump’s initial presidency, normalized diplomatic ties between Israel and several Muslim-majority nations. The UAE and Bahrain were the initial Gulf Arab countries to formally recognize Israel, followed closely by Morocco.

Prior to the October 7 attacks, there was significant momentum toward Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries joining the accords. However, the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran stalled this expansion. In November 2025, President Trump announced during an Oval Office meeting with Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev that Kazakhstan intended to join the accords. Trump later wrote on Truth Social that a signing ceremony would be announced soon and highlighted that other nations were seeking to join.

Participants at Thursday’s meeting discussed next steps to formalize cooperation among the member states. Talpins remarked that the accords have demonstrated what is achievable when countries unite around shared interests and a common vision for a more integrated and prosperous region.