The fourth quarter of 2025 marked renewed Abraham Accords momentum. It saw the first formal expansion of the Accords since President Trump’s first term, with Kazakhstan’s accession to the Accords and the establishment of ties between Israel and Somaliland. President Trump made clear his continued commitment to Abraham Accords expansion, including in his conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Beyond diplomatic progress, the quarter was defined by a deepening of substantive security and economic integration between Israel and its Arab partners. Defense cooperation reached a new milestone with reports of a $2.3 billion contract for Elbit Systems to provide strategic air defense solutions to the UAE. Simultaneously, the economic engine of the agreements accelerated, evidenced by StartUp Nation Central research which found a dramatic 431% year-over-year surge in cross-border private tech funding and the approval of a $36 billion natural gas agreement between Israel, Egypt, and American partners.
Steps to advance concrete regional integration included the advancement of cooperation on critical global corridors and emerging technologies, cementing the Accords as a geopolitical platform. This included the advancement of IMEC through new parliamentary and business initiatives in Italy, as well as the launch of the “Pax Silica” summit, which united Israel and the UAE in a new framework for AI supply chain coordination. These developments underscore the Accords' evolution from bilateral treaties into a comprehensive architecture for regional stability, energy security, and technological innovation.
Timeline of Developments
October 17
In a Fox Business Network interview, President Trump stated, in response to a question regarding the Abraham Accords, “I hope to see Saudi Arabia go in, and I hope to see others go in.” He noted that he had “some very good conversations” with states that have indicated their willingness to join the accords.
October 19
Plans to build a permanent embassy for the UAE in Israel’s Herzliyah Pituah industrial area were approved by the Israel Planning Administration. The embassy is slated to be up to 15 stories high.
November 7
President Trump announced that Kazakhstan would join the Abraham Accords, declaring: “Kazakhstan is the first Country of my Second Term to join the Abraham Accords, the first of many. This is a major step forward in building bridges across the World. Today, more Nations are lining up to embrace Peace and Prosperity through my Abraham Accords.”
November 17
Israeli defense conglomerate Elbit announced a 2.3-billion-dollar contract to provide a “strategic solution” to an international customer over eight years. In December, it was reported that the contract is with the UAE, and that Elbit will be providing Abu Dhabi systems meant to protect civilian and military aircraft from aerial threats.
An Israeli delegation, led by Israel’s Regional Cooperation Minister David Amselem traveled to Kazakhstan following Astana’s decision to join the Abraham Accords. The delegation signed MoUs with Kazakhstan’s Ministers of Water Resources and Education, and planted an olive tree in the Astana Botanical Garden as a symbol of the growing friendship between Israel and Kazakhstan.
November 18
During a bilateral press conference between President Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Trump shared that he “got a positive response” when he brought up the Abraham Accords with the Saudi leader. Bin Salman stated: “we want to be part of the Abraham Accords, but we want also to be sure that we secure a clear path of two-state solution.”
November 25
Sudanese leader Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece, noted: “In 2021, Sudan took a historic step by joining the Abraham Accords. We believe that peace and cooperation are the only path toward a stable Middle East and Horn of Africa.”
Italy’s Chamber of Deputies launched the first cross-party parliamentary group dedicated to advancing the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC). Speakers at the launch event described IMEC, the land route connecting India to Europe via the GCC, Jordan and Israel as not just a transport corridor but as a geopolitical platform tied to energy connectivity, maritime security, and Euro–Indo–Mediterranean cooperation.
December 5
The Trieste Indo-Mediterranean Business Forum, organized by the Trieste Summit Association, brought together representatives of the Italian government, European institutions, and international stakeholders to discuss Italy’s role in advancing IMEC. Ministers, deputy ministers, CEOs, and port authorities from Europe, the Mediterranean, Israel, India, and the Gulf took part in the forum.
December 11
In a post by StartUp Nation Central entitled “Abraham Accords: Tech Investments Redefining Cross-Border Collaboration”, they noted: “we have seen a strong rebound and acceleration in private funding activity across Abraham Accords countries. Private funding surged to $186 million in 2025, up from $35 million in 2024, representing a ~5.3x increase (~431% growth) year-over-year. This marks the highest funding level since the 2021 peak ($219 million), signaling renewed investor confidence. Deal activity also increased in 2025, led by investments in the Agriculture & Food Tech sector. Importantly, reported figures likely understate actual activity, as many early-stage, family office, corporate, and cross-border deals remain under the radar and difficult to track.
December 12
The U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs convened the inaugural Pax Silica Summit, aimed at bringing together the countries with the most advanced AI supply chain ecosystems to deepen coordination and cooperation on critical challenges and opportunities. Founding members of the Pax Silica framework included Israel and the UAE, together with Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the UK, and Australia.
December 17
The Israeli government approved a 112 billion NIS (36 billion USD) natural gas agreement with Egypt, involving American energy company Chevron together with Israeli partners. Israeli PM Netanyahu declared: “This deal greatly strengthens Israel's status as a regional energy power and contributes to stability in our region.”
December 25
HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, received Sammy Revel, the newly appointed Israeli Ambassador at Riffa Palace. They discussed advancing peace and mutual coexistence, as well as the latest regional and international developments.
December 26
Israel became the first country to formally recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state. Israeli PM Netanyahu noted that the declaration “is in the spirit of the Abraham Accords, signed at the initiative of President Trump.” Somaliland President Abdullahi also shared his country’s desire to join the Abraham Accords.
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