Israel and Morocco to establish full embassies, deepening Abraham Accords ties
Israel and Morocco have committed to establishing full embassies in their respective capitals and appointing ambassadors, following a trilateral meeting in New York on Wednesday that included Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, his Moroccan counterpart, and the US ambassador to the United Nations.
The announcement, made one day after celebrations marking the sixth anniversary of the Abraham Accords on September 15, represents a major advancement in diplomatic relations between the two countries. The 2020 normalization agreement, brokered under US leadership, had initially established liaison offices rather than full embassies.
According to a statement from Israel's foreign ministry, the two nations reaffirmed their commitment to "upgrading diplomatic relations between the two countries, elevating their respective diplomatic missions to the level of embassies, and the appointment of ambassadors."
Historical context of Israel-Morocco relations
Morocco first established diplomatic ties with Israel in the 1990s following the Oslo Accords, but suspended those relations in 2000 after the outbreak of the Second Palestinian Intifada. The 2020 normalization under the Abraham Accords marked a resumption rather than an entirely new relationship. Morocco joined the accords in December 2020, several months after the initial agreements signed on September 15, 2020, between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain.
A joint statement released by the US mission to the UN emphasized that all three countries believe "the establishment of full diplomatic, peaceful and friendly relations between Morocco and Israel is in the common interest of both countries and will advance the cause of peace."
Path to full embassy status
The upgrade to full embassy status comes after years of gradual diplomatic engagement. In August 2021, then-Foreign Minister Yair Lapid made the first official visit by an Israeli foreign minister to Morocco since 2003, during which he opened Israel's liaison office in Rabat. Israel previously announced similar plans for embassy upgrades during Lapid's June 2022 visit to Morocco, though those plans did not materialize at the time.
Economic cooperation agreements
Beyond diplomatic representation, the two countries agreed to conclude several economic agreements by year's end. Specifically, Israel and Morocco committed to finalize accords on investment protection and the prevention of double taxation by the end of 2026, measures designed to facilitate bilateral trade and investment between the nations.
The economic dimension of the relationship has shown substantial growth since normalization. Trade between the two countries reached $508 million in 2024, a dramatic increase from near-zero levels before the Abraham Accords, according to IMF data.
Cultural ties and expanded connectivity
Cultural and demographic ties also underpin the diplomatic relationship. Israel is home to approximately one million people of Moroccan Jewish origin, creating strong familial and cultural connections that have helped support the diplomatic rapprochement.
The two governments also agreed to expand air connectivity, with direct flights to include services operated by Moroccan airlines. This expansion is expected to be implemented by the end of 2026, facilitating increased travel and people-to-people exchanges.
According to the Israeli foreign ministry statement, "high-level reciprocal visits between the two countries will take place in the coming months," though no specific timeline was provided for the actual establishment of the embassies.
The meeting took place during broader commemorations of the Abraham Accords anniversary, with representatives from the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Israel, and the United States participating in an event hosted by the US ambassador on Tuesday to mark six years since the historic agreements.
