June 12, 2023 — Tel Aviv
Moroccan Foreign Minister Bourita Says Abraham Accords Provide “Incredible Momentum” for Peace in Middle East
TEL AVIV—June 12, 2023—Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita today said the Abraham Accords have created “incredible momentum” for peace and prosperity in the Middle East and helped create unprecedented growth in his country’s trade with Israel.
In a video address to more than 1,500 attendees at AJC Global Forum in Tel Aviv, Bourita also said the Kingdom of Morocco took deep pride in its Jewish heritage and support for its Jewish community and institutions.
“The [Abraham Accords] between Arab countries and Israel created an incredible momentum for peace and prosperity in the entire region,” Bourita said. “After decades of war and hatred, there is now a unique opportunity for peace.”
The Abraham Accords, signed in September 2020, normalized relations between Israel and two Arabian Gulf states, the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Bahrain. Three months later, in a three-party announcement that included the United States, Morocco re-established and upgraded its relations with Israel after a 20-year gap. These historic normalization agreements opened the door to increased cooperation on shared interests, including energy, security, and health.
“Bilateral relations with Israel have been improving on all levels,” Bourita said, noting Morocco has had more than a dozen visits by high-ranking Israeli officials, a 160% jump in trade, and a fivefold increase in Israeli tourists over the last two years.
Bourita said Morocco’s ties to the Jewish community were historic. “Morocco has historically been a land of coexistence where all Moroccans—Muslims and Jews—lived in peace and harmony under the protection of the Moroccan monarchs.”
Indeed, Jews have lived in the region since Roman times. The Jewish population once numbered more than 250,000. The Moroccan Jewish community is today estimated to be under 3,000 strong, with the Moroccan Jewish Diaspora, many of whom live in Israel, numbering some 1 million.
Bourita said the current Moroccan Jewish community is able to maintain its own “ecosystem,” including synagogues, yeshivas, and kosher food. The kingdom’s ruler, King Mohammed VI, has also authorized the renovation of 15 synagogues and 168 Jewish cemeteries and holy sites.
Bourita also expressed appreciation for Morocco's longstanding ties with AJC, which has sent two delegations to the Kingdom this year. He said AJC has helped Morocco build a vast network of meaningful friendships within the American Jewish community and has played a crucial role in advocating for “a strong and enduring Moroccan-American partnership.” He singled out AJC’s support for Moroccan territorial integrity—highlighted in a visit by an AJC delegation to Dakhla in the Moroccan Sahara in May.
AJC is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York City, 25 offices across the United States, and 14 overseas posts, as well as partnerships with 38 Jewish community organizations worldwide, AJC's mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world.
