US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday thanked Morocco for normalizing ties with Israel during a conversation with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita.
A statement published by the State Department following the conversation said that, among other things, “The Secretary welcomed Morocco’s steps to improve relations with Israel and noted the Morocco-Israel relationship will bring long-term benefits for both countries. They discussed opportunities to increase cooperation in Africa to promote economic prosperity and stability and the Secretary highlighted Morocco’s key role in fostering stability in the Sahel and Libya.”
Morocco and Israel agreed to normalize ties in an agreement brokered by the Trump administration this past December.
In January, the two countries signed an agreement that will see direct flights launched between them.
Former President Donald Trump agreed to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara as part of the deal in which Morocco and Israel normalized ties.
The United States later adopted a new official map of Morocco that includes Western Sahara and even started the process of establishing a consulate in the region.
So far, there have been no signs that the Biden administration plans to roll back Trump’s declaration on the region.
(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)