Israel and Morocco agree to upgrade diplomatic ties

Israel and Morocco have reached an agreement to strengthen their diplomatic ties by upgrading their missions to full embassies and appointing ambassadors, following a meeting in New York involving Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, and US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. The agreement, announced on X, aims to advance relations between the two countries through various measures, including expanding direct flights to include Moroccan airlines and pursuing high-level visits.

Both nations plan to conclude two economic agreements by the end of 2026. Israeli Foreign Minister Saar emphasized the importance of the relationship and thanked their American friends for their significant contribution to its strengthening. US Ambassador Waltz highlighted that the talks would progress the relationship in "security, trade, and regional integration."

The Abraham Accords, which facilitated diplomatic relations between Israel and Morocco in 2020, have since expanded to include Bahrain, Sudan, and the UAE. While Palestinian leaders have expressed concern that the normalisation agreements could undermine their longstanding stance on linking normalisation with Israel to an Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and acceptance of Palestinian statehood.