55% of Arab Youth Survey respondents believe the Israel-Palestine issue will not be settled in five years.
Arab youth in the “Living a New Reality” study expect Iran, Israel, and the West to deteriorate, maybe leading to war. They worry about Iran becoming more dictatorial and having civic unrest or a coup.
While most GCC inhabitants hope for a favorable ending, over two-thirds in the Levant and more than half in North Africa consider a settlement as “very unlikely” or “somewhat unlikely.”
Arab youth: Conflict and relationships
Young Arabs, approximately 39% overall and 51% in the Levant area, believe the war is not given enough attention by the Arab world due to growing national priorities.
The study also shows differing views on closer Israel connections. UAE, Egypt, and Morocco favour diplomatic relations with Israel, whereas majority Arab youth reject it.
As Abraham Accord members, 75% of UAE respondents and a considerable number in Egypt and Morocco support normalizing relations.
Sudan, the 4th Arab nation to recognize Israel, opposes the proposal with 94%.
Sunil John, President of MENA at BCW and Founder of ASDA’A BCW, noted that while nations in the Abraham Accords have different views on Israel, the region is still against normalization.
“Overall, the Arab world has seen a reduction in armed conflict in recent years, with Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Yemen calmer than before,” added John.
“The exceptions are Sudan, where civil unrest has flared recently, and the Palestinian Territories, where Palestinian-Israeli relations remain deadlocked, exacerbated by Iran.”
John said that the Middle East, with over 400 million people, needs ongoing de-escalation to reach its full potential as a “economic bloc.”
The 15th annual ASDA’A BCW Arab Youth Survey shed light on Arab youth views on regional concerns. 3,600 Arab 18-to-24-year-olds were surveyed in their countries.