Diplomatic normalization with Israel has seen limited momentum into 2026, following Kazakhstan’s accession to the Abraham Accords framework in late 2025 and Israel’s reciprocal recognition of Somaliland that December. Saudi Arabia maintains its longstanding position linking any ties to concrete progress on Palestinian statehood, a stance reinforced by regional public opinion and recent U.S. diplomatic pressure tied to nuclear cooperation talks. Syria has engaged in preliminary discussions after regime change, yet border security issues and internal politics persist as obstacles. No additional formal recognitions have materialized through mid-2026 amid the broader fallout from the Gaza conflict and parallel waves of Palestinian state recognitions by other governments. These dynamics underscore the high threshold for new bilateral breakthroughs before year-end.