‘Sky is the limit for Moroccan-Israeli partnership,’ says Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita

On the first anniversary of the Tripartite Agreement between the Kingdom, Israel, and the US, Morocco’s Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, expressed satisfaction in the joint declaration agreement, which was signed by the three countries on December 22, 2020, and said, “Sky is the limit for the Moroccan-Israeli partnership.”

During a hybrid conference, Bourita faced a crowd of journalists and camera flashes as his Israeli and American counterparts appeared in a giant screen fixed behind the media, the three officials took turns to talk about “the one-year achievements” after Morocco’s normalization ties with Israel, and the US recognition of the kingdom’s sovereignty over the Sahara territory within the Abraham accords.

The US’ secretary of foreign affairs sent a short registered video, where he applauded the accord’s outcomes on social, educational, and economic levels.

The Israeli minister of foreign affairs, Yair Lapid, addressed a speech focused on the social aspect of the agreement and the shared history between the Jewish and Moroccan people.

“Jewish people helped to shape Morocco. And Morocco helped to shape Jewish people,” said Lapid.

Lapid ended his speech by inviting his Moroccan counterpart to visit Israel, as he said smirking, “It’s enough to talk to Mr Bourita on cell phone until the middle of the night we have to meet in person.”

Bourita’s speech was much longer than his counterpart, as he ended the conference with a long statement titled the agreement of three “Ps.”

“It is a renewal of a promise at 3 levels, which I will decline in 3 “P”s: a genuine commitment to People; a concrete building of Partnership and an active engagement for Peace,” said the Moroccan minister.

For ten minutes, Bourita tackled the outcomes of the agreement on each P.

He said the return of 1 million Israelis of Moroccan origins to “their heritage,” the passengers’ flights between the two countries, and the youth exchange programs are a sign of normalization’s success.

Meanwhile, Morocco implemented the commitments made in the declaration: diplomatic missions are up and running; agreements have been signed, official visits have been exchanged; and, sectoral cooperation is on the track. 

“But that’s not all, we can and must expand the circle of those involved in our partnership,” said the minister.

For partnership, Bourita said Morocco highly values the decision of the United States to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Sahara, as a “realistic political solution under the auspices of the U.N, of the long-standing regional dispute.” 

The Moroccan minister ended his speech by reminding his counterparts that the Kingdom continues its endeavor of the two-state solution, within the borders of June 4, 1967.