Morocco and Israel Move to Upgrade Their Diplomatic Missions to Full Embassies

Morocco and Israel are upgrading their diplomatic missions from liaison offices to full embassies, including the exchange of ambassadors. The agreement was reached on September 16 in New York with the participation of the United States. This move builds on a 2020 deal in which Washington recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in exchange for the normalization of relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv. While the change in status is formal, the two nations have already established deep ties over the past six years. These include hundreds of millions of dollars in arms contracts, the launch of direct flights, and reciprocal visits by military personnel. Internally, Morocco has facilitated this alignment by evicting citizens from properties claimed by individuals returning from Israel.