The United Arab Emirates has issued its strongest warning yet to Israel, declaring that any move to annex parts of the occupied West Bank would cross a “red line” and derail regional integration efforts built under the historic Abraham Accords.

Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Assistant Minister for Political Affairs, said annexation would undermine both peace efforts and the shared vision of a two-state solution.

“Annexation in the West Bank would constitute a red line for the UAE,” she said. “It would severely undermine the vision and spirit of the Abraham Accords, end the pursuit of regional integration, and alter the consensus on what this conflict’s trajectory should be – two states living side by side in peace, prosperity, and security.”

The UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020, becoming the first Arab country to do so in 26 years. The move, brokered under the Abraham Accords, was later followed by Bahrain and Morocco. Since then, trade, tourism, and defense ties have grown significantly between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.

However, the latest tensions come just days before the fifth anniversary of the accords, raising questions about their long-term durability.

The warning follows renewed calls within Israel’s far-right government to push forward with annexation of parts of the West Bank, including remarks by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich that such steps would “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with top ministers this week to consider annexation proposals ranging from select settlements to the Jordan Valley, a move critics warn would make a future Palestinian state almost impossible.

The UAE emphasized that normalization with Israel was originally conditioned on the suspension of annexation plans. Despite maintaining relations during the Gaza war — including coordinating humanitarian aid drops — Abu Dhabi stressed that its support for Palestinians and their right to statehood remains unchanged.

“From the very beginning, we viewed the Accords as a way to enable our continued support for the Palestinian people and their legitimate aspiration for an independent state. That was our position in 2020, and it remains our position today,” Nusseibeh noted.

With Western nations like France, the UK, Canada, and Australia preparing to officially recognize Palestine, pressure is mounting on Israel. 

The UAE, meanwhile, has called on Netanyahu’s government to step back from annexation plans and resist extremist pressures.

“Peace requires courage, persistence, and a refusal to let violence define our choices,” Nusseibeh added.