Morocco Signed a Normalization accord with Israel (24.12.2020)

Morocco’s ruling Justice and Development Party released a statement on Thursday, December 24, supporting King Mohammed VI and Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani over resuming official contacts and diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for US recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara region.

Having rejected any normalization with Israel since its establishment, the Justice and Development Party was subject to outrage within the party and amongst Moroccans who rejected the normalization.

Late King Hassan II is known to have negotiated the peace accords between the Arab states and Israel. Morocco established low-level ties with Israel in 1993 after the signing of the Oslo Accord, but froze its relations after the outbreak of Palestinian intifada (uprising) in 2000.

Morocco is the fourth Arab country to normalize relations with Israel this year after the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan.