Morocco, ‘Israel’ Agree to Exchange Ambassadors

By Staff, Agencies

Morocco and “Israel” have agreed to upgrade their diplomatic representation to embassy level and exchange ambassadors following a meeting between their foreign ministers in New York, held with US participation.

The agreement marks a further expansion of relations restored in 2020 and includes plans to establish full embassies, appoint ambassadors, and increase direct air connections between Morocco and “Israel”.

The meeting reportedly took place Wednesday between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and "Israeli" Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, with US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz also participating.

According to "Israel's" Yedioth Ahronoth, Sa’ar traveled to New York specifically for the meeting, which focused on what the parties described as a further “upgrading” of bilateral relations.

The two sides agreed to raise their existing diplomatic missions to embassy status and appoint ambassadors, according to statements following the meeting.

Relations between Morocco and “Israel” were restored in 2020 through US mediation after Rabat and “Tel Aviv” agreed to reestablish diplomatic ties as part of the normalization accords.

The latest agreement represents a further institutionalization of those relations, extending them beyond the diplomatic representation established after the 2020 decision.

The parties also agreed to strengthen direct air links, with Moroccan airlines expected to begin operating additional routes in the coming weeks.

The agreement was announced alongside a series of measures intended to expand political and diplomatic contacts.

Sa’ar’s office said the parties agreed to facilitate reciprocal high-level visits over the coming months, while working to implement the new framework for bilateral relations.

Sa’ar said the signed declaration “details practical ways to upgrade relations between ‘Israel’ and Morocco,” adding that efforts would be made to implement the measures.

The meeting followed an event hosted by Waltz at his residence marking six years since the signing of the normalization accords. Representatives from the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Kazakhstan, “Israel” and the United States attended the event.