Loay Alshareef speaks on The Abraham Accords and Relations between Israel and Arab Countries

Main themes

Loay Alshareef argued that peace between Israel and Arab states is possible. He urged audiences to distinguish between Muslims and Islamist extremists, Palestinians and Hamas, and pro-peace and pro-war positions. He said he supports Palestinians’ right to live in dignity while opposing Hamas.

Alshareef described the Gaza war as devastating, but argued that Hamas could end it by releasing the hostages and laying down its arms.

Personal experience and education

Alshareef said his views changed after he met a Jewish family in France and learned about Judaism, Hebrew, and Jewish history. He said personal contact and study helped him question beliefs he had absorbed while growing up in Saudi Arabia.

In his view, ignorance and antisemitic teaching are major obstacles to peace, and education is essential to challenging them. He called for teaching about the Holocaust and changing educational systems that promote hostility.

The Abraham Accords and regional cooperation

Alshareef presented the Abraham Accords—agreements involving Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco, with Sudan’s participation described as uncertain—as a model for “people-to-people” ties, not just government-level security arrangements. He cited travel, friendships, business partnerships, and technology cooperation as benefits, and said the accords could support a wider regional partnership, including future Saudi-Israeli relations.

He also said the UAE provided 42% of the aid entering Gaza and that coordination enabled the country to establish a field hospital.

Political assessments

Alshareef contrasted what he called moderate Arab states focused on economic development with an “axis of resistance” led by Iran and allied groups. He identified Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Muslim Brotherhood as opponents of peace. In his view, the Brotherhood uses religious institutions and Western civil liberties to expand its influence.

He urged European and North American governments to take these concerns seriously and review laws and immigration screening. These were Alshareef’s political assessments, not independently established findings in the talk.

Jewish ties to the region

Alshareef made a case for Jewish ties to the region, referring to shared religious figures and names, the history of Judea, and the Arch of Titus in Rome as evidence of the Jewish connection to Jerusalem. He called for countering false historical narratives through education.

Question-and-answer session

Alshareef said Gulf countries differ in their approach to Hamas. He described Qatar as hosting Hamas’s political office at the request of the United States and using the relationship for mediation, while saying the UAE and Saudi Arabia do not want Hamas to govern Palestinians.

He said Arab states could help invest in Gaza’s future, but only under a non-Hamas authority. He also argued that the Abraham Accords have helped Gulf citizens meet Israelis directly and challenge stereotypes.

Asked how moderates can counter extremists, Alshareef pointed to religious arguments, education, and the perceived success of more prosperous, moderate states. He acknowledged that Hamas won an election in Gaza but said it later prevented further elections. He emphasized that Gaza’s civilians should not be treated as collectively responsible.

Alshareef concluded by advocating reconciliation among Jews and Arabs and a prosperous Middle East in which nations no longer make war.

Presenters and contributors

• Loay Alshareef
• Nathan, moderator (surname not stated)