Overview
- A joint trilateral statement signed Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026, by Israeli foreign minister Gideon Sa'ar, Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita and U.S. UN ambassador Mike Waltz said the two countries will elevate their liaison missions to full embassies and exchange ambassadors.
- The three governments committed to conclude investment-protection and double-taxation agreements and to reinstate direct commercial flights operated by Israeli and Moroccan carriers by the end of 2026.
- The joint statement reaffirmed U.S. and Israeli recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara and endorsed Rabat’s autonomy proposal as the basis for resolving the dispute.
- Officials gave no firm dates for ambassadorial appointments or formal embassy openings, and governments said implementation could be affected by public protests in Morocco and regional security pressures.
- The move builds on the 2020 Abraham Accords that restored ties, aims to expand trade and tourism between countries with deep cultural links, and could reshape regional diplomacy by tying economic integration to security cooperation.