Rabat – Today, Morocco, the US, and Israel signed a joint declaration to officialize Rabat’s decision to re-establish diplomatic relations and contacts with Tel Aviv, marking the opening of a new era of relations between Tel Aviv and Rabat.
The joint declaration highlights the US Proclamation on the recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
The declaration also reaffirms the vitality of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the serious, credible, and realistic way to end the Western Sahara conflict.
The joint statement also reiterates the US’ commitment to encourage economic and social development with Morocco, including in Western Sahara.
The US also reaffirms its decision to open a consulate in Dakhla, southern Morocco, to promote economic and commercial opportunities in favor of the region and its local population.
Furthermore, the joint declaration acknowledges Morocco’s role in ensuring stability and peace in the region, recalling the special ties King Mohammed VI maintains with the Moroccan Jewish community across the world, including in Israel.
Commitments
Through the decision to establish full contacts with Tel-Aviv, Morocco and Israel confirmed their intention to grant authorizations for direct flights between Morocco and Israel.
Israeli and Moroccan airlines will operate the air routes.
The joint statement also says that authorities will grant overflight rights, confirming their decisions to resume without delay full official contacts between Moroccan and Israeli counterparts.
According to the joint declaration, Israel and Morocco will also promote dynamic and innovative bilateral economic cooperation to work together in the fields of trade, finance, investment, and technology.
Israel and Morocco will also cooperate in civil aviation, visa and consular services, tourism, water, agriculture, food security, development, energy, and other areas.
The US, Morocco, and Israel agree to “undertake to fully respect the provisions of this declaration, to promote then, and to defend them,” the joint statement says.
The statement also recalls Morocco’s unchanged position on the Palestinian cause, expressing the importance of preserving the special status of Jerusalem for the three monotheistic religions.
Jared Kushner, Meir Ben Shabbat, and Morocco’s Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani signed the Joint Declaration before King Mohammed VI during a meeting at Rabat’s Royal Palace.
Agreements
The officials also signed six agreements to formalize the pledges of the joint declaration—four agreements between Morocco and Israel and two between Morocco and the US.
The Morocco-Israel agreements include an accord to exempt diplomats from the two countries from visa formalities during visits. They also include three Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) in the fields of civil aviation, water resources, and finances and investment.
The Moroccan-American agreements, meanwhile, are an MoU between Morocco and the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and a Letter of Intent expressing Morocco’s support for DFC’s “Prosper Africa” initiative, seeking to promote US investment in Africa.
Yahia Hatim contributed to this article.
