The current normalisation of Israeli-Moroccan relations is shaping a new, more balanced power sharing and identifies underlying tensions

La relación entre Marruecos e Israel inquieta a Argelia

photo_camera PHOTO/FILE - Mosaic with the flags of Morocco and Israel, as a symbol of the existing good relations

Normalisation between Morocco and Israel was achieved with the signing of a US-mediated agreement in December 2020, in which the former undertook to recognise the latter. In this way, the Jewish state achieved the recognition of a new Arab-Muslim country, adding Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan to the list. The processes of normalisation and subsequent pacification are the emergence of a process of change in mentality, but one that must be reconfirmed day after day so that these agreements do not remain in the ruling classes and suffer a kind of spill-over effect towards ordinary citizens.

One example of the good relations between the two countries was a statement by Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, in which he congratulated the Moroccan national football team on its performance against the nation of Qatar. The Moroccans reached the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time in their history. Herzog thus encouraged support for the African team's party in Tel Aviv. The Hanukkah days, which light up the United Arab Emirates, set the stage for Arab-Israeli integration. Relations between Morocco and Israel are a long and storied history, but not without obstacles, such as the expulsion of Jews from Arab countries from the 19th century to the present day. 

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Israel's new Foreign Minister Eli Cohen discussed the future of the Abraham Accords and "the Iranian threat" with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Monday, in the first communication between the two since the formation of Israel's new government on Thursday. "The Foreign Minister and the Secretary of State discussed joint efforts to expand the Abraham Accords," an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman said, referring to the Washington-brokered agreements that led to the normalisation of diplomatic relations between the Jewish state of Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.

The two states aim to 'widen the circle of countries that have normalised agreements with Israel', and new Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced his intention to make Saudi Arabia the next country to join. Since Algeria's decision to cut ties with its Alawite kingdom, Morocco has repeatedly called on its eastern neighbour to join it in talks to resolve the issue, while maintaining that it will remain a reliable partner for the Algerian people. The report suggests that Morocco would seek to exploit all aspects of its new partnerships to draw a hard line against Algeria (and the Polisario Front) should tensions escalate. 

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Cohen 'announced Israel's determination to fight this threat', although he did not elaborate on the new government's strategy. The Israeli minister, for his part, emphasised his concern over the recently adopted UN General Assembly resolution, which calls on the International Court of Justice to issue an "advisory opinion" on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, and also thanked the US for its support due to its vote against the UN. Moreover, Algeria's recent purchases of Turkish drones, in addition to becoming one of Russia's main arms customers, show the effects that the Israeli partnership is having on North African politics.

The secretary of state also reaffirmed "the strong commitment of the United States to the security and well-being of the State of Israel" and agreed with Cohen to "continue to address shared challenges directly and closely". "Morocco's access to Israeli technology, particularly unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), allows it to further enhance its military capabilities," the report said. In August 2021, Algeria announced the severance of relations with Morocco, accusing its neighbours of supporting terrorist organisations and setting forest fires in the Kabylia region. Morocco's rapprochement with Israel and its efforts to strengthen its military arsenal may have played a key role, but it has also led Algeria to strengthen its military. 

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Algeria remains one of the Arab countries that maintains relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran and acts as an advocate of the Palestinian cause, which is losing much interest among Arab governments in the wake of the recent Algiers summit. This was demonstrated in November 2022, when demands for Palestinian self-rule in Algeria overshadowed the strategic interests of Arab countries in the international context. The Algiers-Tehran axis is intensifying the nuclear race between the state of Israel and the Islamic Republic of Iran in the Middle East, as Iran may be close to enhancing its nuclear destruction capabilities.

The rivalry between Morocco and Algeria is also North Africa's adaptation of the Middle East Cold War between Saudi Arabia and Iran, aiming to take the lead in the Islamic world. The Abraham Accords aimed at the pragmatic agenda and the continuing interests of the signatories' regional leadership, with national objectives prevailing over conflicts in the Middle East and Africa that were not territorial, but religious, ideological and political. 

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