Israel, Morocco to Open Embassies in US-Backed Deal
Israel, Morocco to Open Embassies in US-Backed Deal
The News
Israel and Morocco agreed Wednesday to upgrade their diplomatic ties to full embassy level and appoint ambassadors, in a deal brokered with US backing in New York.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz met to sign the agreements, according to the Israeli government and reporting from Reuters, the Jerusalem Post, the Times of Israel and Fox News.
It is the biggest upgrade in the Israel-Morocco relationship since Morocco joined the normalization framework in December 2020.
What the Deal Does
Both countries will raise their diplomatic missions to full embassies and name ambassadors.
Direct flights by Israeli and Moroccan airlines are to resume before the end of 2026.
Investment protection and double-taxation agreements are due by the end of 2026, alongside a broader pledge to cooperate on trade, technology, energy and regional security.
The joint statement reaffirmed US and Israeli recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Timeline
Morocco joins the normalization framework through a separate US-Morocco-Israel declaration, alongside the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan.
Sa'ar, Bourita and Waltz meet in New York and sign agreements upgrading ties to embassy level, with ambassadors to be appointed in both countries.
The official Israeli government account in Arabic announces the agreement on X; Reuters reports it the same evening. Sa'ar and Bourita were also scheduled for a separate bilateral meeting the same day.
Reactions
Sa'ar touted the "deep roots and rich history" of Jewish-Moroccan ties and said the newly signed agreements are "for the benefit of both peoples," according to the Times of Israel.
Fox News framed the deal as a major Abraham Accords milestone "nearly six years in the making," and reported that officials at the summit were pressed on Saudi Arabia's possible entry into the framework and on the growing Houthi threat to global shipping. Waltz did not directly answer when asked whether Saudi Arabia would join.
Reuters reported the agreement narrowly, as a diplomatic upgrade announced by the Israeli government.
What's Next
Ambassadors are to be appointed and embassies opened in both capitals, with reciprocal high-level visits planned in the coming months.
Direct airline service and the investment and tax agreements are targeted for before the end of 2026.
Whether Saudi Arabia eventually joins the normalization framework remains unresolved.
More
The framework Morocco joined in 2020 also includes the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan. Wednesday's agreement adds embassy-level representation, direct flights and the economic cooperation package on top of the ties already in place.
Coverage across the four sources agrees on the facts of the deal. Right-leaning outlets gave more prominence to Saudi Arabia's possible role and to Houthi threats at the Bab el-Mandeb strait; the center wire report stuck to the diplomatic agreement itself.
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