Morocco wants to strengthen its relations with Israel

In its new international policy dynamics, Morocco intends to deepen its relations with the American Israel Public Affairs Commission (AIPAC), active in the United States where the Joe Biden administration has not yet decided whether or not to question the American recognition of the Moroccan nationality of Western Sahara.

Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Living Abroad, is scheduled to take part in a conference organised by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AlPAC) on Thursday 6 May 2021. This is the first time Morocco has participated in the activities of this Israeli structure, based in the United States, AIPAC.

The head of Moroccan diplomacy, Nasser Bourita, who will speak by video conference, will be the main guest of the association as part of the « Mid Atlantic Spring Program », it is reported. It should be noted that since the advent of the Joe Biden administration, Morocco has been active in maintaining the decree on the American recognition of the sovereignty of the kingdom over Western Sahara.

The current President of the United States, Joe Biden, has not, for the moment, clarified his position on the subject. An attitude that worries the Moroccan authorities, as well as the Israeli lobby. According to the American newspaper Jewish Insider, the existence of full diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel depends on the position of the White House on the decision taken by Donald Trump on Western Sahara.

However, should US President Joe Biden question this decision, Morocco would perhaps again end its diplomatic relations with Israel or refrain from strengthening these ties, analyses the American newspaper, underlining that the issue continues to provoke division in the US Senate.

Western Sahara is a territory of 266,000 km2 (more than 603,253 inhabitants), claimed by both Morocco and the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), proclaimed by the Polisario Front in 1976. The latter has the full support of Morocco’s North African neighbour, Algeria.