Israel and Morocco have agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relations, including opening embassies and appointing ambassadors, according to the Israeli government.
The agreement was reached during a trilateral meeting in New York involving Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, an official Israeli government statement said.
Under the planned steps, the two countries will elevate their existing diplomatic missions to full embassies and appoint ambassadors, marking a further expansion of ties restored in 2020 under a US-brokered agreement.
Israel and Morocco currently operate liaison offices, including Israel’s mission in Rabat. Official Israeli foreign ministry material says the office was reopened following the 2020 agreement between Israel, Morocco and the United States.
The officials also agreed to expand direct air links between Israel and Morocco and work toward completing agreements intended to facilitate investment, trade and broader economic cooperation.
Morocco was among four Arab countries — along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan — that moved toward normalising relations with Israel in 2020 through US-backed agreements. Israel separately maintains peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan.
The normalisation agreements drew concern from Palestinians because they departed from the longstanding Arab Peace Initiative framework, under which broader normalisation with Israel was linked to Israeli withdrawal from occupied territories and the establishment of a Palestinian state.
The latest agreement signals a further institutionalisation of Israel-Morocco relations, moving the countries from liaison-level representation toward full ambassadorial ties.
