Netanyahu Backs Down on West Bank Sovereignty Amid UAE Warning

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has removed the contentious issue of West Bank sovereignty from his agenda ahead of a key security discussion scheduled for Thursday, following firm warnings from the United Arab Emirates that such a move would cross a diplomatic “red line.”

According to Israeli sources, the UAE made it clear that any annexation of West Bank territory would severely undermine the Abraham Accords the landmark normalization agreement signed between Israel and the Gulf nation in 2020. Emirati officials warned both Israeli and American counterparts that Israeli sovereignty in the West Bank would “destroy” the accords.

“This would destroy the Abraham Accords,” one Emirati official reportedly told a senior Trump administration figure. “Do not allow Israel to annex parts of the West Bank.”

The planned Thursday meeting, initially expected to include sovereignty discussions, will now focus exclusively on the deteriorating security and economic situation in the West Bank. Defense officials are set to brief ministers on the risks of an eruption of violence, particularly ahead of the United Nations General Assembly session, where multiple nations are preparing to formally recognize a Palestinian state.

According to the defense establishment, while terrorism levels have recently dropped thanks in part to ongoing IDF operations in the northern West Bank the broader environment remains unstable. Worsening economic conditions and political uncertainty are contributing to a highly combustible atmosphere.

On Wednesday, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich reignited the sovereignty debate, calling for Israel to annex 82% of the West Bank and urging Netanyahu to support the initiative. His remarks drew swift condemnation from Abu Dhabi, which emphasized that annexation would violate the very terms upon which the Abraham Accords were built.

“The Abraham Accords were signed on the condition that Israel would forgo applying sovereignty,” UAE officials reiterated. That condition was foundational to normalization with Israel and remains non-negotiable for the Gulf state.

While Netanyahu has long been a proponent of asserting Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, the current geopolitical landscape particularly Israel’s ties with Arab nations and escalating tensions at the UN appear to have influenced the decision to postpone the matter.

As pressure mounts internationally, Israel continues to navigate complex security threats, diplomatic relationships, and internal political demands. The enduring strength of its alliances, especially those forged under the Abraham Accords, will depend on maintaining mutual trust and strategic restraint.

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