Kazakhstan to join normalization agreements with 'Israel' amid US push
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Kazakhstan will join the "Abraham Accords" in a move US officials say could restore “Israel’s” regional standing and boost Muslim-majority cooperation under US leadership.
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Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev attends a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit of the Commonwealth of Independent States at the Palace of the Nation in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, October 10, 2025 (Vladimir Smirnov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
Kazakhstan is set to announce its decision to join the "Abraham Accords" during a Thursday meeting between Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and US President Donald Trump, according to US officials cited by Axios.
While Kazakhstan and “Israel” have maintained full diplomatic relations for over 30 years, joining the "Abraham Accords" is seen as a symbolic step to deepen Kazakhstan-"Israel" relations and reaffirm the US-led framework of normalizing ties between “Israel” and the Arab and Muslim world.
A senior US official told Axios that the move aims to revive the "Abraham Accords," which were first brokered under Trump’s presidency to normalize ties between “Israel” and several Arab states.
Trump has made it clear that one of his foreign policy goals is to restore “Israel’s” international support, particularly in the wake of the Gaza war that left “Israel” politically isolated in the region.
“This is going to show that the Abraham Accords is a club that many countries want to be a member of,” a US official said to Axios, adding that it may help “turn the page on the war in Gaza.”
Critics say that normalizing ties with the Israeli occupation whitewashes its war crimes against Palestinians following a horrifying genocide and an ongoing siege.
Read more: African-Israeli relations: Economic growth, soft power in development
No prior conflict, but symbolic weight
Although Kazakhstan has had no history of conflict with “Israel” and maintains open travel and trade policies, the announcement is intended to signal a commitment to religious tolerance and regional dialogue.
Kazakhstan’s move coincides with a new US-Kazakhstan agreement on critical minerals, signed the same day, which may help strengthen bilateral ties with Washington.
Tokayev’s visit is part of a broader summit between the Trump administration and leaders of five Central Asian nations, all Muslim-majority countries. According to officials, Tokayev proactively approached the White House with the desire to formally join the normalization agreements.
During Thursday’s meeting, Trump and Tokayev are expected to hold a joint call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to announce the decision. Trump is also pushing for a formal signing ceremony at the White House involving both Israeli and Kazakh leaders.
Expanding normalization agreements
US officials are hoping to build momentum ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s visit to Washington on November 18. Trump recently reiterated his desire for Saudi Arabia to join the normalization agreements during an economic conference in Miami.
However, officials acknowledge that a Saudi-Israeli normalization deal remains distant and complex.
