On September 16, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced that Israel and Morocco have decided to open embassies in each other's countries. This significant development follows a meeting between the foreign ministers of the two nations, Gidéon Saar of Israel and Nasser Bourita of Morocco, held in New York under the auspices of the United States. This diplomatic engagement is part of the Abraham Accords, where Morocco and Israel normalized relations in December 2020, a historical process facilitated by Washington that has seen several Arab nations establish ties with Israel.
During the meeting, which was hosted by U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, the three parties reiterated their commitment to enhancing bilateral relations through a series of measures. These measures include upgrading their diplomatic missions to the status of embassies and appointing ambassadors. However, the Israeli Ministry did not specify any timeline for the establishment of these embassies, and Morocco has yet to issue an immediate comment on the matter.
Additionally, the Israeli Ministry announced that economic agreements would be finalized between the two countries, which currently maintain liaison offices, before the end of 2026. Plans for expanding direct flights between Israel and Morocco were also mentioned. Minister Gidéon Saar expressed that the friendship between the Moroccan and Jewish peoples has deep roots and a rich history, and he emphasized that the announcement made during their meeting presents concrete ways to strengthen the relationship between Israel and Morocco for the benefit of both peoples.
Historical Context and Recent Developments
Israel and Morocco had established diplomatic relations in the early 1990s, but these ties were severed at the beginning of the Second Intifada in the early 2000s. Following the normalization of diplomatic relations in 2020, both countries accelerated their cooperation in various fields, primarily in military, security, commercial, and tourism sectors. In June 2022, Israel had already announced the intention to open embassies during a visit by then-Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to Morocco.
However, the recent escalation of conflict in Gaza, triggered by an attack from Hamas on October 7, 2023, has led to large-scale protests in Morocco supporting the Palestinian cause and calling for the annulment of the normalization agreement. Despite this, the Moroccan kingdom has officially called for an end to the war without questioning the normalization of relations with Israel. This complex scenario underscores the delicate balance of diplomatic relations and regional politics.
As reported by fr.news.yahoo.com.
