Rabat and Tel Aviv pave the way for embassies as Morocco’s streets mobilize

The Moroccan Front for Support of Palestine and Against Normalization is calling for demonstrations throughout the kingdom for three days. The organization intends to protest Rabat and Tel Aviv’s decision to strengthen their diplomatic and economic relations, the Jerusalem Post reported this Sunday, September 20.

In a leaflet distributed on Saturday, the movement called for an end to normalization and voiced its opposition to the opening of an Israeli embassy in Morocco. It invited political parties, trade unions, associations and human rights organizations to take part in the mobilizations.

The call comes four days after a meeting held in New York between Nasser Bourita, his Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar and the US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz.

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Morocco and Israel had already announced in December 2020 their intention to open embassies reciprocally. Until now, however, the two countries had only maintained liaison offices, despite this initial diplomatic commitment.

Embassies, direct flights and new economic agreements

In their joint statement of September 16, the three countries confirmed the agreement to elevate the Moroccan and Israeli diplomatic missions to embassy status and to exchange ambassadors.

Rabat and Tel Aviv also undertook to take the necessary measures to quickly restore direct flights, operated by Moroccan and Israeli airlines, before the end of the year.

Two agreements must be finalized in parallel before December 31. The first will concern investment protection and the second the prevention of double taxation. Cooperation must also be strengthened in trade, finance, tourism, technology, agriculture, water, energy, telecommunications and security, the tripartite statement specifies.

The Moroccan Front is denouncing a new stage in normalization while the situation in the Palestinian territories remains particularly tense. It rejects the use of embassies, agreements and economic exchanges, in its words, to normalize relations with Israel.

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The mobilization will coincide with the United Nations General Assembly. According to the Jerusalem Post, new meetings between Moroccan and Israeli officials could be held in New York during this period.

While Rabat and Tel Aviv now seek to fully implement the commitments concluded in December 2020, their opponents are seeking to put the Palestinian issue back at the center of the Moroccan debate.