Morocco, Israel sign deals to mark historic visit

A historic meeting between the foreign ministers of Morocco and Israel in Rabat on Wednesday witnessed the signing of three accords. This is the first visit by a top official from the Jewish state since ties were normalised between Morocco and Israel last year.

“Today, we are changing this for the benefit of tourism and the economy, for trade and cultural exchange, for friendship and cooperation. This moment will improve our lives, because that is what peace does. War ends life, while peace cultivates it,” the Israeli Foreign Minister, Yaïr Lapid, said.

Nasser Bourita and his Israeli counterpart Yair Lapid signed agreements on political consultations, aviation and culture.

“To support the momentum in cooperation, we created five working groups for promising sectors: research and innovation, tourism and aviation, agriculture, energy and environment, and trade and investment. These groups have held several meetings and have defined objectives and recommendations,” Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita, said during his address.

Morocco was one of four Arab countries  along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, to agree to normalise ties with Israel last year under US-brokered deals.

As part of the Donald Trump-led US brokered agreement, Washington recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, where there has been a decades-old territorial dispute with Morocco pitted against the Algeria-backed Polisario Front.

AN/Nneka Ukachukwu