Marking a significant milestone in international diplomacy, Morocco and Israel have recently agreed to normalize relations. This development, brokered by the USA, positions Morocco as the fourth Arab nation, following the UAE, Bahrain through the Abraham Accords, and Sudan, to put aside hostilities with Israel within the last four months.
Highlights of the Deal
As part of the agreement, Morocco is set to forge full diplomatic relations and resume official contact with Israel. This includes reopening liaison offices in Rabat, Morocco’s capital, and Tel Aviv in Israel, with future plans to establish embassies. The deal also focuses on stimulating economic collaboration between Israeli and Moroccan businesses.
Furthermore, Morocco plans to facilitate direct flights for Israeli tourists in a move that could stimulate tourism engagement between the two nations. In an unprecedented shift, the USA has also recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a marked change from its previous policy stance.
Implications at the UN Security Council
Since 2007, the UN Security Council, where the USA holds veto-capable permanent membership, has called upon Morocco and the Polisario to engage in negotiations without preconditions. The objective of these negotiations is to arrive at a mutually acceptable political solution ensuring self-determination for the people of Western Sahara.
Israel-Morocco Deal: Significance
The recent agreement signifies an effort by the USA to portray a united front against Iran and limit Tehran’s regional influence. Deemed a sovereign move, this step is expected to bolster the quest for stability, prosperity, and lasting peace in the region.
The deal not only escalates Morocco’s engagement with the West but also amplifies Israel’s endeavors to establish connections with previously hostile countries in Africa and the Arab world, especially as progress with Palestinians remains stalled.
Reactions to the Deal
Responses to the deal have been mixed. Palestinians have voiced criticism, arguing that these normalisation deals backtrack on the cause of peace by abandoning the ‘land for peace’ principle whereby Israel would cede land for a Palestinian state before receiving recognition.
However, Egypt and the UAE have commended Morocco’s decision, despite the Polisario Front expressing regret at the policy change from the USA. The Front maintains that the deal does not alter the reality of the conflict or the right of the Western Sahara people to self-determination.
Understanding Western Sahara
Western Sahara, a desert region and former Spanish colony, was annexed by Morocco in 1975 and has since been subject to a prolonged territorial dispute between Morocco and its indigenous Saharawi people, led by the pro-independence Polisario Front.
While Morocco posits that the region has always been part of its territory, the African Union recognizes it as an independent state. An insurgency that lasted 16 years concluded with a promise of an independence referendum following an U.N-brokered truce in 1991, which is yet to take place.
Future Course of Action
The impending challenge lies with President-elect Joe Biden, who must decide whether to accept the USA’s deal on Western Sahara – a movement not yet made by any other Western nation. Despite expected shifts away from the “America First” approach in foreign policy, Biden will likely uphold the pursuit of “the Abraham Accords” between Israel and Arab and Muslim nations.