Exclusive: Two bipartisan senators are introducing new legislation to deepen cooperation between the United States and its Middle Eastern partners, marking the fourth anniversary of the Abraham Accords.
The LINK Act, introduced by Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nevada), co-chairs of the Abraham Accords Caucus, would establish a “military thematic exchange program” to deepen cultural ties and strategic cooperation between U.S. forces and allies in the Middle East.
“As Iranian aggression escalates, I am deepening the historic partnership forged four years ago today through the Abraham Accords,” Ernst said.
“What Iran fears is increased cooperation among its Middle Eastern partners. The LINK Act will achieve this by coordinating military planning and building a durable and effective defense alliance. Working together with our partners makes both of our nations stronger and more secure.”
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford speaks during a Christmas Eve ceremony at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, December 24, 2017. (AP Photo/Rahamat Gul, File)
The two senators have so far passed three Middle East-related bills.
The Gulf states of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed a U.S.-brokered normalization agreement with Israel in 2020, known as the Abraham Accords.
As part of the agreement, both the UAE and Bahrain recognized Israeli sovereignty and established full diplomatic ties, marking the first time Israel has signed a peace agreement with an Arab country since the 1994 Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty.
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Sen. Joni Ernst speaks to reporters after the Senate Republicans' weekly policy luncheon on Capitol Hill, March 6, 2024. (REUTERS/Bonnie Cash)
Senator Jacky Rosen speaks during a press conference at the East Vegas Library on June 16, 2023. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
In the months that followed, Sudan and Morocco signed agreements to normalize ties with Israel.
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The bill comes at a time of rising tensions between Israel and Arab countries. Israel and Saudi Arabia were close to reaching a deal with the United States that would have normalized relations, but Hamas launched attacks on Israel on October 7.
The United States is strengthening ties with Middle Eastern countries, including those with mixed human rights records, such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to counter the growing threat from a potentially nuclear Iran.
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The Biden administration recently lifted a suspension of $320 million in military aid to Egypt that had been frozen in response to human rights concerns, bringing the total amount sent from Washington to Cairo this year to $1.3 billion.
Egypt has played a central role in talks between Hamas and Israel on the ceasefire agreement.
