U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said on Monday that there could be "great progress" in advancing the Abraham Accords by next year, referring to the normalization agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors reached during President Donald Trump's first term.
Speaking at an event hosted by U.S. Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter to mark Israel's 77th Independence Day, Witkoff was optimistic about several diplomatic initiatives currently in progress.
"There are many efforts underway — humanitarian aid initiatives for Gaza, which we applaud, the expansion of the Abraham Peace Accords, which we think will have some or a lot of announcements very, very shortly, which we hope will yield great progress by next year, and discussions on regional challenges in the Middle East like Syria, Lebanon and of course Iran, and we agree that they shall never get a nuclear weapon," he said.
The Abraham Accords currently include Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Morocco, all of which agreed to normalize relations with Israel in 2020.
The main reception for Monday's event was held at the ambassador's residence, attracting a high-profile gathering of senior U.S. government officials, members of Congress and the Senate, foreign ambassadors, Jewish community leaders, media representatives, heads of leading organizations, and senior figures from civilian, security and academic sectors.
The main speakers were Witkoff and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Witkoff opened his remarks by sharing his powerful encounter with an Israeli soldier severely wounded in the Gaza Strip, who also participated in Monday's event.
"I just met a young man here, his name is Ari Spitz. He gave to the country of Israel both of his legs, his right arm, his thumb, and I just say, I wish you blessings. He's not a victim. It was really my great honor to meet you tonight," said Witkoff.
Witkoff congratulated Israel on its 77th Independence Day, though acknowledging that "this year has been challenging, and our celebration is bittersweet," with 59 hostages still remaining in Hamas captivity.
"I remember being in the hospital in Israel when we got the female IDF soldiers out, and I sang the song 'Am Israel Chai' with them and their families. And I thought to myself, this could be the most joyous moment in my life," he said.
"On behalf of President Trump, I pledge that we will work tirelessly this year so that next year's Independence Day is not just a wish for happiness but a reality of peace, prosperity, and for Israel, unity," he continued.
In his concluding remarks, Witkoff delivered a passionate message about Israel's resilience and the importance of national unity.
"Israel is an extraordinary nation. From its founding, it has faced external threats with creativity, resilience and triumph, and we will always be their strongest ally. Yet Israel's strength lies in its unity. Over the past 20 months, countless Israelis have sacrificed so much, like Ari Spitz right here. In their honor, I urge the Israeli people to choose unity over division, vision over disagreement and hope over despair. When you do, Israel's future will shine brighter than ever."
This is an edited version of an article originally published by Israel Hayom.
This JNS.org report was republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.