Israel’s FM Visits Morocco in First Trip Since Normalizing Relations

Emily Jones
08-11-2021

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JERUSALEM, Israel – Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid visited Morocco on Wednesday to help deepen ties between the two countries after they agreed to normalize relations last year.

Lapid led a delegation to the Moroccan capital of Rabat, where he inaugurated the Israeli Liaison Office and meet with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.

The visit to Morocco is the first by Israel’s top diplomat since 2003. It is made possible through the “Abraham Accords,” US-brokered normalization agreements between Israel and four Arab countries: The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco.

During the visit, Bourita called on Israelis and Palestinians to restart "direct and serious negotiations" and for the establishment of “a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with a state of Israel."

The ambassadors took time to sign agreements to cooperate in air service, culture, sports, and youth programs. They also signed a memorandum of understanding on the establishment of a political consultation mechanism between their countries' foreign ministries. 

Israel and Morocco had low-level diplomatic relations in the 1990s, but Morocco severed them after the second Palestinian intifada broke out in 2000. The two countries maintained informal ties, and Morocco welcomed thousands of Israeli visitors each year.

“This historic visit is a continuation of the long-standing friendship and deep roots and traditions that the Jewish community in Morocco, and the large community of Israelis with origins in Morocco, have,” Lapid said. “It will be a moment for political and economic activity, and we will continue to work towards agreements that will bring innovation and opportunity to our countries.”

Morocco is home to a centuries-old Jewish community of an estimated several thousand.

Before Israel’s 1948 war of Independence, Morocco had a large Jewish population, many of whose ancestors migrated to North Africa from Spain and Portugal during the Spanish Inquisition.

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About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle
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