Outgoing US President Donald Trump announced Thursday, December 10, that Morocco would normalize its relations with Israel, as three other Arab countries have done recently, and that the United States recognizes Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara. western.
Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. It is thus fitting we recognize their sovereignty over the Western Sahara.
“Another HISTORICAL advance today!, wrote on Twitter Mr. Trump. Our two BIG friends, Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco, have agreed to completely normalize their diplomatic relations. – a big step forward for peace in the Middle East! “
Rabat confirmed the imminent resumption of its diplomatic relations with Israel. In a telephone interview with Mr Trump, the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, said his country was going “Resume official contacts (…) and diplomatic relations as soon as possible ” with Israel, according to a statement from the royal palace.
For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu also welcomed an agreement “Historical”, referring to the soon to be “Direct flights” between the two countries. Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement in power in the Gaza Strip, on Thursday evening called the agreement “Political sin”.
Morocco and Israel had already opened liaison offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv in the 1990s, until their closure in the early 2000s.
“Preserve” Jerusalem as a “symbol of peaceful coexistence”
Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have already agreed in recent months to normalize their relations with Israel, within the framework of the so-called Abraham Agreements, led by the White House, represented by Jared Kushner, son-in-law and adviser to Mr. Trump. Sudan has also given its agreement in principle to do the same and, according to Kushner, recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia is “Inevitable”.
Morocco has so far displayed a consistent stance on resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, arguing for a two-state solution with East Jerusalem. “As capital” of the state to which the Palestinians aspire and against Israel’s policy of colonization in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The King of Morocco chairs the Al-Quds (Jerusalem in Arabic) committee, created by the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to work to preserve the religious, cultural and urban heritage of the Holy City. Pope Francis’ visit in March 2019 was an opportunity for him to reaffirm his desire to “Preserve” Jerusalem like “Meeting place and symbol of peaceful coexistence”.
Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara
The question of the normalization of relations between Rabat and Israel was revived last February during an official visit to Morocco by the head of American diplomacy, Mike Pompeo. At the time, Israeli media assured that Rabat was ready to make a gesture in return for American support for Morocco’s position on Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony disputed by Moroccans and the separatists of the Polisario Front supported by Algeria.
Mr. Trump, who will leave the White House on January 20, announced at the same time on Twitter that he had signed a proclamation on Thursday recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. “Morocco’s serious, credible and realistic proposal for autonomy is the only basis for a just and lasting solution to ensure peace and prosperity! “, he wrote. “Morocco recognized the United States in 1777. It is therefore appropriate that we recognize their sovereignty over Western Sahara”, he added.
Mohamed VI, for his part, greeted a “Historic position” the United States. Rabat, which controls three-quarters of this desert territory of 266,000 square kilometers, offers autonomy under its sovereignty, while the Polisario Front has been demanding for years a self-determination referendum, provided for by a 1991 agreement.
Negotiations involving Morocco, the Polisario, Algeria and Mauritania have stalled since March 2019. The situation has been very tense in Western Sahara since the breaking of the ceasefire in place since 1991 by the separatists, after a surprise Moroccan military operation in a buffer zone in the extreme south of the territory.
The United Nations (UN), which has deployed a peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara, said the US decision did not change its position, namely to attempt to organize a self-determination referendum.
