AJC in the Gulf

🙌 Salam, shalom, and welcome! 🙌 Today, we're launching @AJCintheGulf - one year after the signing of the historic #AbrahamAccords. Follow this account for the latest updates from AJC Abu Dhabi and our critical work in the Arab world.

AJC stands with our partners in the United Arab Emirates and strongly condemns the Iranian regime’s drone attack targeting a vessel affiliated with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, as well as its continued missile attacks in UAE airspace. The UAE—a cornerstone of the Abraham Accords and a force for regional stability—is right: Iran’s IRGC committed an act of piracy that violates international law and threatens freedom of navigation and global trade. We stand with our Emirati partners. Iran must stop these attacks now.

The UAE has borne the brunt of the Iranian regime’s attacks since the beginning of this war. In just a week and a half, Emiratis have faced hundreds of missiles and drones. While the vast majority have been intercepted, six people have been killed and 122 injured as of today. We stand with our friends and partners in the UAE against Iranian aggression.

Yesterday, AJC had the honor of meeting with H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (@ABZayed), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates. We have been close partners of the UAE for decades and applaud its efforts to promote the Abraham Accords and religious understanding across the region. Through our AJC Abu Dhabi office, we will continue to work with the Emirates to strengthen bridges between Jews and Arabs in the Middle East and beyond.

AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson is currently leading a delegation of AJC leaders to the World Governments Summit in Dubai. AJC has been on the ground in the Gulf for years, helping build the relationships between Israel and the Arab world that led to the Abraham Accords. We thank the UAE for all that it has done to support the Accords, which stands as the signature and historic foreign policy achievement of the first Trump administration. We are as dedicated as ever to widening the circle of Arab-Israeli peace, through our Center for a New Middle East and two active regional outposts, AJC Jerusalem and AJC Abu Dhabi: The Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding.

AJC was honored to meet with senior leaders of the United Arab Emirates at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, including Diplomatic Advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates Dr. Anwar Mohammed Gargash, parliamentarian Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi (@Dralnoaimi), and Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi (@ThaniAlZeyoudi). These conversations reflect the strong and growing partnership between AJC and the UAE, rooted in a shared commitment to regional integration, religious tolerance, and mutual understanding. AJC has been on the ground in the Gulf for years, helping lay the foundation for the Abraham Accords, a historic breakthrough that continues to reshape the Middle East and widen the circle of Arab-Israeli peace. We are grateful for the UAE’s leadership and enduring commitment to dialogue, coexistence, and a more connected region.

Happy National Day to the people of Bahrain! Bahrain continues to be an integral partner in advancing peace, stability, and cooperation across the Middle East. We join them in celebrating their independence. 🇧🇭

Today, we celebrate the anniversary of the historic normalization deal between Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco! Over the past five years, we have witnessed significant and mutually beneficial cooperation between 🇮🇱 and 🇲🇦, advancing stability and prosperity and reinforcing the natural logic of expanded Arab-Israeli peace.

AJC wishes our friends in the UAE a happy National Day! We join them in celebrating their independence, along with the strides that they have made in promoting peace in the Middle East. 🇦🇪

AJC Abu Dhabi hosted a panel discussion with Dr. Tal Becker, one of Israel’s top experts on international law, in a conversation moderated by AJC Abu Dhabi Director Amb. (ret.) Marc Sievers. The session looked at Israel’s growing regional ties in the context of the Abraham Accords, current diplomatic trends, and what the future might hold. The discussion offered leaders a thoughtful, in-depth look at key regional developments, drawing on Dr. Becker’s expertise and Ambassador Sievers’ diplomatic perspective.

Anne Dreazen, AJC Vice President of the Center for a New Middle East, draws on more than 17 years of experience shaping U.S. policy in the region, from Iraq to Israel, to advance security, stability, and strong partnerships. “Economic and business development and people-to-people exchanges are also essential to form a more lasting and strong foundation for long-term security and stability.” At AJC, Anne works to turn agreements into lasting partnerships that promote peace, security, and deeper regional ties. jns.org/jewish-pentago…

Today we join our friends across the UAE in celebrating UAE Flag Day, a symbol of unity, progress, and pride. 🇦🇪 We honor the UAE’s vision of tolerance and coexistence, and we look forward to continued partnership in building a more peaceful and connected region for all.

An AJC delegation—led by Vice President of the AJC Center for a New Middle East Anne Dreazen and AJC Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson—recently visited the United Arab Emirates on a trip organized by AJC Abu Dhabi, the Sidney Lerner Center for Arab-Jewish Understanding. We were reminded again how important the UAE’s leadership is to advance our mission — strengthening regional integration, supporting stability in Gaza and beyond, and nurturing new spaces for cooperation in technology, energy, and culture. We are grateful to our Emirati hosts and colleagues for their warmth, candor, and continued commitment to building a more peaceful Middle East.

.@AJCGlobal's Chief Policy and Political Affairs Officer Jason Isaacson, at the Hili Forum strategic affairs conference in Abu Dhabi, addressed Middle East challenges and opportunities and the unique role of the United States in upholding international order.

AJC Abu Dhabi hosted its fourth annual Iftar, bringing together dozens of diplomats, faith leaders, and local civil society partners for an evening of shared culture. The month of Ramadan is a time to gather with friends and community, and AJC is grateful to be able to build these bridges in the UAE and across the region.

On the sidelines of the International Dialogues of Civilizations and Tolerance Conference this week AJC Abu Dhabi hosted a roundtable discussion among regional scholars and activists to explore opportunities for continued partnership through AJC’s Center for a New Middle East.

AJC Abu Dhabi hosted diplomats, business leaders, and civic partners for a reception to mark AJC’s Center for a New Middle East, which reaffirms and builds upon AJC’s decades-long efforts to expand the circle of Arab-Israeli peace and deepen ties in the region and beyond.

AJC leaders visited Al Ain, the birthplace of the UAE’s founder Sheikh Zayed, to learn about his vision, leadership, and the rich history of the United Arab Emirates.

We thank His Excellency @AnwarGargash , longtime friend of AJC and former UAE Minister of State, for his leadership. AJC met with His Excellency on the sidelines of the World Governments Summit for a wide-ranging discussion of the dynamics and outlooks for the region.

Happy National Day to the people of Bahrain! For years, Bahrain has stood as a vital partner in pursuing regional stability and expanding the circle of peace in the Middle East. We join it in celebrating its independence. 🇧🇭

During a recent visit to Bahrain’s capital Manama, AJC leadership returned to the House of Ten Commandments Synagogue, which for nearly 100 years has stood in close proximity to the gathering places for the many religious communities embedded into the fabric of Bahraini society.