Morocco joins Arab countries that already have full relations with Israel

United States President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that Morocco has joined with other Arab countries in recognizing Israel and also signaled that Washington will accept the sovereignty of Rabat in the region of Western Sahara.

“Today there was another HISTORICAL breakthrough! Our two great friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to have full diplomatic relations, A major achievement for peace in the Middle East! The president celebrated on Twitter.

Trump, who will leave the White House on January 20, said Israel and Morocco will restore diplomatic and other relations, including the immediate reopening of liaison offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv and the possible opening of embassies. US officials said the deal would also include overflight rights for the respective airlines.

The White House reported that Trump had a telephone conversation with King Mohammed VI of Morocco, in which the two agreed that “diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel would be restored and economic and cultural cooperation would be expanded to promote regional stability “.

The United States will recognize Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara, a former Spanish territory in North Africa that has been the subject of disputes for decades, the White House said in a statement.

“Morocco’s serious, credible and realistic autonomy proposal is the only basis for a just and lasting solution that ensures peace and prosperity!” Trump said.

“Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. Therefore, it is appropriate that we recognize its sovereignty over Western Sahara,” he added.

Morocco is the fourth Arab country to recognize Israel while the government seeks to expand its so-called “Abrahamic Accords,” which began in mid-year with an agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

This was followed by deals with Bahrain and Sudan, and Washington is trying to get Saudi Arabia to join the group.

The president ratified his support for the serious, credible and realistic proposal for Moroccan autonomy as the sole basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute over the territory of Western Sahara, and as such, the president recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the whole Territory of Western Sahara ”, underlined the White House.

The agreements between Israel and the Arab countries were promoted and negotiated by Jared Kushner, son-in-law and adviser to Trump, who said Thursday that the recognition and normalization of ties between Saudi Arabia and the Hebrew state were “inevitable.”

“The rapprochement and full normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia is inevitable at this point, but the timetable … is something that has yet to be implemented,” Kushner told reporters.

Source: AFP and AP