Morocco and Israel flags. Photo: X
Israel and Morocco have agreed to elevate their diplomatic missions to full embassy level and appoint ambassadors, nearly six years after the two countries restored relations under the US-brokered Abraham Accords.
The agreement was announced after a trilateral meeting in New York on Wednesday, September 16, involving Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz.
The announcement came a day after an event in New York marking the sixth anniversary of the Abraham Accords, attended by representatives from the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Israel and the United States.
According to a joint statement issued by the United States, Morocco and Israel, the three countries reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The move will elevate the existing diplomatic missions of Israel and Morocco to full embassies and provide for the exchange of ambassadors.
The statement did not specify when the embassies would formally open or when the ambassadors would be appointed.
Israel and Morocco also agreed to finalise agreements on investment protection and the avoidance of double taxation by the end of 2026.
The agreements are intended to facilitate mutual investment and strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries.
The two sides also agreed to expand direct air links, including flights operated by Moroccan and Israeli airlines. The necessary measures to reinstate direct flights are expected to be taken before the end of 2026.
High-level reciprocal visits between Israel and Morocco are also planned in the coming months.
The joint statement said the countries would continue to develop cooperation in areas including trade, finance and investment, technology, tourism, water, agriculture, food security, energy and telecommunications.
The United States and Israel reaffirmed their recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the entire Western Sahara territory and expressed support for Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the basis for resolving the dispute.
Western Sahara has been disputed between Morocco and the Polisario Front for decades. The United States recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the territory in 2020, alongside Morocco’s decision to restore diplomatic relations with Israel.
Morocco and Israel restored diplomatic relations in December 2020 under the US-brokered Abraham Accords during Donald Trump’s first term as US president.
Morocco was among four Arab countries — alongside the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan — that moved towards normalising relations with Israel in 2020.
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This post was last modified on September 17, 2026 1:38 pm