Morocco and Israel upgrade diplomatic ties to embassy level

Morocco and Israel have raised their diplomatic relations to the level of embassies, appointing ambassadors to strengthen bilateral ties that resumed in 2020 following a US-backed normalization process. This significant step was announced during a historic trilateral summit in New York, where Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, and US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz participated.

The agreement, outlined by Israel's government, entails both nations upgrading their diplomatic missions to embassies and appointing ambassadors in each other's countries. Additionally, they aim to finalize agreements on investment protection and preventing double taxation by the end of 2026, expand direct flights, and facilitate high-level mutual visits in the coming months.

This development comes in the wake of Morocco officially recognizing Israel's sovereignty over Western Sahara in July 2023, joining a growing list of Arab nations that have normalized relations with Israel, including the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan.