David Friedman on How the Abraham Accords Came Together Behind the Scenes

Kramer: I’d like us to do two things. The first is to get your take on how the Abraham Accords came to be. We both know that no two people will tell the same story in the same way. You’ll probably write a memoir, which will tell the full version. But I think our present audience would have one or two questions about what happened. Then we’ll do some speculation about the future.

But before we go there, though, let me open with this question. By profession, you aren’t a diplomat or a policy expert. I take it you think that’s an advantage. Tell me why.

Friedman: I think there are a few advantages, and I don’t mean any disrespect to the diplomats, because many of them have done outstanding work over the years. But the Middle East, especially, was due for some unconventional thinking. Most of U.S. policy in the Middle East, whether during a Republican or Democratic administration, was driven by conventional wisdom that proved to be not particularly valid.