AMERICA’S MIDDLE EAST FOREIGN POLICY IN THE 21st CENTURY: A STUDY OF ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT (2017-2021)

Abstract

The Abraham Accords, signed in 2020 under the Trump administration, marked a significant shift in U.S. Middle East foreign policy by normalising relations between Israel and several Arab states (UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco) while decoupling these agreements from progress on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This study critically evaluates the Accords’ impact on the Arab-Israeli conflict between 2017 and 2021, focusing on regional diplomacy, Palestinian national aspirations, the viability of the two-state solution, and compliance with international law. Anchored in Hegemonic stability theory, the research examines how U.S. transactional diplomacy, unilateral actions (including recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and sovereignty over the Golan Heights), and the “Peace to Prosperity” plan prioritised strategic alliances and Counter-Iran efforts over traditional multilateral frameworks such as UN Security Council Resolution 242. Employing a qualitative instrumental case study design, the study draws on semi-structured elite interviews and extensive document analysis, analysed through thematic methods. Findings reveal substantial short-term gains in trade, security cooperation, and bilateral ties among signatories. However, the Accords marginalised Palestinian aspirations, weakened prospects for a viable two-state solution, and challenged established international norms. While advancing pragmatic hegemonic order, the agreements risk long-term instability by sidelining core conflict drivers. The study offers policy insights for more inclusive approaches to great-power mediation in protracted disputes.