President Donald Trump has brokered yet another major agreement, this time between Morocco and Israel. It is the fourth such agreement in as many months. In the coming weeks, Israel and Morocco will resume full diplomatic relations. This agreement will also grant overflights and direct flights to and from Israel and will promote economic cooperation between Israeli and Moroccan companies.
Through this historic step, Morocco is building on its long-standing bond with the Moroccan Jewish community living in Morocco and throughout the world, including in Israel. The agreement further enhances Israel’s security, while creating opportunities for the two countries to deepen their economic ties and improve the lives of their people.
In 1777, Morocco was the first country to grant diplomatic recognition to the United States of America. That same year, Morocco opened its ports to the ships of the new American republic, allowing the U.S. to engage in trade and commerce and supporting the fight for freedom. “Our friendship has endured,” declared Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement. “Together with Israel and Morocco we are declaring to the world that we are focused on unlocking the potential of all our citizens to ensure the continued prosperity and security of our countries.”
President Trump has also recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. The United States continues to believe only political negotiations are capable of resolving the issues between Morocco and the POLISARIO , a politico-military organization striving to end Moroccan control of Western Sahara and win independence for that region. As Secretary Pompeo noted, “We believe those negotiations should occur within the framework of Morocco’s autonomy plan.”
Morocco’s laudable efforts to promote religious tolerance – from its historical tradition of protecting its Jewish minority, the promoting of religious freedom in the Marrakech Declaration, to the new agreement with Israel – sets an example to the region and throughout the world. Secretary Pompeo noted that “there is a powerful verse in the Scripture that reads ‘a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.’ The United States, Israel, and Morocco have embraced peace and the world is better off for it.”
