The Arab–Israeli peace process didn’t start with the Abraham Accords in 2020. Its story goes back decades. In 1979, Egypt signed the Camp David Accords with Israel. Then came Oslo in 1993 with the Palestinians, and the Wadi Araba Treaty with Jordan in 1994.
Other Arab states tested the waters too. Morocco in 1994, Tunisia in 1996, and Mauritania in 1999 — all established ties with Israel. But those relations froze during the violence of the Second Intifada in the early 2000s.
The real turning point came in 2020. The Abraham Accords reshaped the map: the UAE and Bahrain normalized relations in September, Sudan followed in October, and Morocco in December — through a deal backed by U.S. recognition of its sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Key Indicators of Relations with Israel
From Peace to Trade
Political agreements opened the door. Over time, they laid the groundwork for something bigger: economic engagement.
At first, trade trickled in slowly. But after the Abraham Accords, the pace shifted dramatically.
Just ten years ago, Arab countries barely registered on Israel’s commercial map. Today, they rank among its top trading partners in the Middle East and North Africa.
The numbers tell the story: from 2021 to 2024, trade between Israel and partners like Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan jumped from $1.9 billion to $4.5 billion — about 3% of Israel’s global trade.
To break it down further, we’ll walk you through charts and data showing how these flows evolved — year by year, month by month — and what they reveal about the growing ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
Trade Data with Israel
Annual Analysis (2021-2024)
The UAE: Monthly Trade Trends with Israel
The data tells a story. After October 7, UAE–Israel trade slumped for three straight months. But by February, it bounced back — hitting a record high of $277 million in a single month.
Monthly Analysis (2023-2025)
Egypt: Trade Resilience Amid the Gaza War
Even as the Gaza war raged, Egypt’s trade with Israel kept climbing — holding a steady upward path and reaching its peak by the end of 2024.
Monthly Analysis (2023-2025)
Jordan: Temporary Dip, Rapid Recovery
After October 2023, Jordan’s trade with Israel fell for three straight months. But by the summer of 2024, it had bounced back sharply — regaining momentum at speed.
Monthly Analysis (2023-2025)
Morocco: Weapons Over Commerce
Morocco’s trade with Israel has grown — but most of it isn’t consumer goods or services. The bulk comes from defense-related imports.
Monthly Analysis (2023-2025)
Bahrain: Explosive Growth
No country grew faster. Bahrain’s trade with Israel skyrocketed more than 1,700% between 2021 and 2024, a dramatic surge fueled by the Abraham Accords
Monthly Analysis (2023-2025)
Arms and Military Spending
Military procurement is a major driver of this expanding trade. Since 2021, Morocco has imported over $200 million in defense equipment, with Israeli weapons making up about 11% of its total arms purchases. According to SIPRI, Morocco acquired Barak and Barak MX air defense systems, Wander-B drones, and even launched joint ventures to localize drone production.
The collaboration isn’t limited to Morocco. In September 2022, Israel approved supplying the UAE with SPYDER mobile air defense systems, while Barak batteries were deployed on Emirati soil. SIPRI data also shows rising military spending across all Abraham Accord signatories over the past five years — a clear sign of the growing link between economics and defense in the region.
Military Spending of Peacemaking Nations
1970–2024 (in millions of dollars)
Despite shifting politics in the region, trade between Arab countries and Israel keeps climbing — though at different speeds.
Jordan led the way, with trade jumping from $264 million in the first seven months of 2024 to $375 million over the same period in 2025.
Morocco’s growth was more modest, inching up from $66 million to $71 million, while Egypt’s trade held steady at around $320 million.
Not every market kept rising. Bahrain saw a dramatic collapse — trade plunged from $88 million to just $7.3 million, a drop of more than 1,000%. The UAE also contracted, though less sharply, with a 13% decline.
