Overview
- In a Fox Business interview aired Oct. 17, President Donald Trump said he expects new countries to join the accords soon and singled out Saudi Arabia as pivotal.
- Trump said he held "very good conversations" as recently as Oct. 15 with states that signaled interest in joining, though he offered no specifics or timetable.
- Riyadh has not confirmed any move toward recognition, and polling cited by researchers shows strong Saudi public opposition to normalization with Israel.
- The Gaza war and its regional fallout continue to complicate diplomacy, even as a fragile ceasefire has taken hold.
- The accords, launched in 2020, normalized ties between Israel and the UAE and Bahrain, with Morocco and Sudan later joining or announcing recognition.