Morocco Hesitates on Israel Embassies Amid Concerns Over Biden’s Western Sahara Stance

The news site Axios reports that King Mohammed VI would have told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the opening of embassies was the "next natural step" in the restoration of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel. But fearing a reversal of the decision of the outgoing US President regarding the American recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara, the kingdom prefers, in a first step, to reopen liaison offices rather than embassies, specifies the same source.

Moreover, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita had announced, during the visit of the American-Israeli delegation to Rabat at the end of December, the imminent opening of liaison offices.

An Israeli delegation is said to have visited the Moroccan capital this week to inspect the former Israeli liaison office, closed 20 years ago, but which remains the property of the Hebrew state. On the Moroccan side, a delegation from the kingdom had made a similar visit. Rabat still owns its office located in Tel Aviv.