Students rocked by anti-Israel protests on campus are seeing first-hand the success of the Trump-brokered Abraham Accords
Dozens of American students visited Israel and the United Arab Emirates over the winter holidays, witnessing first-hand the successes of the historic Abraham Accords amid ongoing campus tensions back home as the war in Israel continues.
Forty-three undergraduate students from across the country participated in a 10-day trip to Israel and the UAE during the winter semester as part of the Geller Coalition Israel Campus International Fellowship, Fox News Digital has learned. Students met with business leaders, academics and political leaders to discuss and experience Middle Eastern culture, as well as see first-hand the importance of the Abraham Accords, which was reached under the first administration of President-elect Donald Trump in 2020.
“Witnessing the successes of the Abraham Accords firsthand with a group of students passionate about peace and coexistence, in an era where dialogue is rare on American college campuses like mine, was a poignant and critical reminder of the future the Middle East can endure,” Eden said. Yadegar, a senior at Columbia University who studies the Middle East, in a comment to Fox News Digital.
“Peace, security, and coexistence are not distant ideals, but realities on the ground thanks to the United States, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates. The future of the Middle East is here and it is bright, and I am incredibly grateful to Israel at the Campus Coalition for giving me the opportunity to be involved in these critical conversations and experiences.”
Fellows who visited the UAE and Israel as part of the Geller International Fellowship. (ICC)
The Abraham Accords is a historic peace agreement brokered by the US in 2020 between Israel and the UAE. As part of the agreement, the UAE and Bahrain recognized Israel’s sovereignty and established full diplomatic relations. It was the first time Israel had made peace with an Arab country since the 1994 peace accord between Israel and Jordan.
“This historic diplomatic breakthrough will advance peace in the Middle East region and is a testament to the bold diplomacy and vision of the three leaders and the courage of the United Arab Emirates and Israel to chart a new path that will unlock great potential in the region,” Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Crown Prince Abu of Dubai and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed said in a joint statement at the time. “All three countries face many common challenges and will mutually benefit from today’s historic achievement.”
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Abraham Accord signing ceremony at the White House on September 13, 2020. (Getty)
Students participating in the fellowship met with experts such as Israeli politician and diplomat Ruth Wasserman Landa and Middle East expert and lecturer Dan Feferman to discuss entrepreneurship and coexistence in the post-peace Middle East, as well as experts such as the Defense Foundation Democracies Senior Fellow Jonathan Conricus and Saudi YouTuber Loay Alsharef to discuss diplomacy and peacebuilding under the deal.
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American students participating in the Geller International Fellowship met with experts in Israel and the UAE to witness firsthand the successes of the Abraham Accords. (ICC)
“The Geller International Fellowship highlights the promise of the next generation of pro-Israel leaders and their potential to strengthen US-Israel relations and advance the principles of the Abraham Accords,” Israel on Campus Coalition CEO Jacob Baime told Fox News Digital. “Thanks to the generosity of Martin and Lauren Geller, this program provides students with a deeper understanding of Israel’s complexities and a foundation for informed advocacy. These fellows return to campus with a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to sharing their experiences. This scholarship reflects ICC’s ongoing work to strengthen relationships between of the USA and Israel and the development of new leaders.”
The Israel on Campus Coalition is a US-based organization working on inspire American students and pro-Israel faculty groups to “see Israel as a source of pride and empower them to fight for Israel on campus.”
American students participating in the Geller International Fellowship met with experts in Israel and the UAE to witness firsthand the successes of the Abraham Accords. (ICC)
Aidan Bloomstine, a senior majoring in public policy at the University of Southern California, told Fox Digital that the trip was “the opportunity of a lifetime” that rekindled his optimism “that one day this region will live in peace and prosperity.”
“Those fundamental principles were perfectly demonstrated on this trip. To hear first-hand the successes of diplomatic and economic cooperation from the Emiratis and Israelis shows us a well-paved path for peace in other areas of the region,” continued the ICC associate.
More than 40 American students traveled to Israel and the UAE as part of the Geller International Fellowship. (ICC)
University of Michigan Ross School of Business senior Sam Heller reiterated to Bloomstine that the scholarship and trip abroad was “one of the most transformative experiences,” especially after the outbreak of war in Israel in 2023which soon led to anti-Semitism on American college campuses and repeated anti-Israel protests.
“Being surrounded by like-minded campus leaders, all of whom are deeply committed to ensuring that the truth prevails in these challenging times after the 10/7 massacre by Hamas, was both inspiring and encouraging. It gave me confidence that the next generation of leaders in our country will continue champion Western values and steadfastly support America’s closest ally, Israel, to whom I am incredibly grateful to the ICC for the opportunity to engage experts on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and experts dedicated to promoting peace in the Middle East. I look forward to watching this remarkable cohort of young leaders evolve into politics,” Heller said.
Agitators and student protesters flooded college campuses across the country last school year to protest Israel’s war, which also involved spying examples of antisemitism and Jewish students who publicly said that they do not feel safe at some colleges.
American students visited the UAE and Israel during the winter holidays as part of a Geller International Fellowship. (ICC)
For example, protesters on the Columbia University campus in New York occupied the school’s Hamilton Hall building, while schools such as UCLA, Harvard, and Yale worked to clear spiraling student encampments where protesters demanded that their elite schools fully divest from Israel.
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The terrorist organization Hamas launched a war on Israel on October 7, 2023, initially fanning the flames of anti-Semitism on campuses in the form of protests, threatening graffiti, and students reporting that they felt like it was “open season on Jews on our campuses.” The protests grew to the point that Jewish students at some schools, including Columbia, were warned to leave campus for their own safety.
On Penn’s campus, Fox News Digital exclusively reported in May that anti-Israel radicals were handing out multiple manuals instructing agitators on how to break into buildings, “escalate” protests, make weapons and even administer first aid.
The program’s sponsors, Martin and Lauren Geller, noted in comments to Fox Digital that the scholarship supports the next generation in strengthening the principles outlined in the Abrahamic Accords.
Martin and Lauren Geller sponsored American students for the Geller International Scholarship. (ICC)
“The Geller International Scholarship is more than a program—it is an educational investment in the next generation of leaders dedicated to strengthening the US-Israel relationship and the principles of the Abrahamic Covenant. We are honored to partner with Israel on Campus Coalition, whose exceptional leadership ensures that students gain a transformative understanding of Israel’s heritage , innovation and resilience and prepare these talented individuals to be leaders in the Pro-Israel movement on campus as well as in their communities is a privilege, and we are inspired by the impact these students will have as advocates for Israel on and off campus,” the couple said. Martin Geller is the founder and chairman of the wealth management firm Geller & Company.
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On the eve of Trump’s election victory Vice President Kamala Harris, the former and incoming president, said on the campaign trail last year that she would expand the Abraham Accords if re-elected. Trump is scheduled to be inaugurated as the nation’s 47th president on January 20.
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“If I win, that’s going to be the absolute priority: just get everybody in there. It’s peace in the Middle East. We need it and it’s very important. It’s going to happen,” Trump said of the Abraham Accords during an interview with Saudi newspaper Al Arabiya in October. .
