On September 16, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Israel and Morocco will officially open embassies in each other's countries. This significant development follows a meeting between the two nations' foreign ministers, Gidéon Saar of Israel and Nasser Bourita of Morocco, which took place under the auspices of the United States in New York. The meeting was reportedly facilitated by the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, highlighting the influential role of Washington in fostering diplomatic ties in the region.
The normalization of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel dates back to December 2020, when the two nations established formal ties as part of the Abraham Accords—a series of agreements facilitating closer relations between Israel and several Arab nations, with U.S. support. During the recent discussions, the three parties reaffirmed their commitment to a range of measures aimed at enhancing bilateral relations. This includes upgrading their diplomatic missions to embassies and appointing ambassadors, although specific timelines for these developments have yet to be announced. Morocco has not yet provided any immediate comments regarding this announcement.
Moreover, the Israeli Ministry has indicated that economic agreements between the two countries are expected to be finalized by the end of 2026. These agreements are anticipated to enhance cooperation beyond political diplomacy, extending into economic collaborations and the expansion of direct flights between the two countries. Gidéon Saar emphasized the deep-rooted friendship between the Moroccan and Jewish peoples, expressing that the agreement signed today outlines tangible ways to strengthen relations for the mutual benefit of both nations.
Historically, Morocco and Israel had established diplomatic relations in the early 1990s; however, these ties were severed at the onset of the Second Intifada in the early 2000s. Since the normalization of relations in 2020, both countries have significantly accelerated their cooperation, particularly in military, security, trade, and tourism sectors. In June 2022, during a visit by then Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to Morocco, the opening of embassies was already announced as part of the ongoing diplomatic engagement.
In light of recent events, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which reignited following a Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, has prompted large-scale demonstrations in Morocco. These protests have expressed solidarity with the Palestinians and called for the reversal of the normalization of relations with Israel. Nevertheless, the Moroccan kingdom has officially called for an end to the conflict without questioning the normalization process.
As reported by france24.com.
