The warning issued by the United Arab Emirates against Israeli annexation of the West Bank is more than diplomatic rhetoric; it is a rare attempt by a Gulf state to draw a firm boundary in a conflict too often treated as open-ended. By declaring annexation a “red line,” the UAE is signaling that the very agreements that were meant to symbolise regional rapprochement could unravel if Israel presses ahead with far-right proposals to impose sovereignty over vast swathes of occupied territory.

The Abraham Accords were not born in a vacuum. They represented a calculated gamble: normalisation with Israel could coexist with a commitment to Palestinian aspirations, so long as Israel suspended earlier annexation plans. For the UAE, this balance allowed it to expand its geopolitical reach, gain access to Israeli technology, and demonstrate independence from older Arab positions while........

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