On December 22 Tel Aviv and Rabat inaugurated their first direct commercial flight. After a summit meeting between Israeli, American and Moroccan representatives, a tripartite declaration was signed to confirm the diplomatic rapprochement between the Hebrew state and the Shereefian kingdom.
Israel and Morocco are continuing the process of warming their relations, officially started a few days ago. On December 22, they signed an agreement to quickly establish “full” diplomatic relations.
According to the statement, the two countries agreed to “resume without delay full official contacts between Moroccan and Israeli counterparts and to establish full, peaceful and friendly diplomatic relations.”
The document lays the foundations for revitalizing cooperation between the two countries. It encompasses several sectors such as trade, finance and investment, innovation and technology, civil aviation, visa and consular services, tourism, water, agriculture and food security among others. .
The statement comes as the two countries inaugurated their first direct commercial flight on December 22, with Jared Kushner, adviser to US President Donald Trump, on board.
His arrival in Rabat in the company of the Israeli adviser for national security, Meir Ben-Shabbat, underlines the important role that the USA played in this diplomatic rapprochement which also had for implication, the recognition by Washington, of the Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
“The United States will encourage economic and social development with Morocco, including in the territory of Western Sahara”, underlines the new tripartite declaration to this effect. He added: “To this end, the United States will open a consulate in the territory of Western Sahara, in Dakhla, to promote economic and trade opportunities for the region”.
Source Ecofin Agency