Israel links recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara to organization of Neguev Summit
Israel has made a connection between Rabat’s hosting of the Negev forum, which had been repeatedly postponed, and its anticipated decision to acknowledge Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara.
According to diplomatic sources, Morocco may upgrade the current mid-level diplomatic missions to embassies in order to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel in exchange for Israeli acknowledgment of Morocco’s territorial integrity.
Nasser Bourita, Morocco’s minister of foreign affairs, said that Morocco postponed the Negev Summit last month because there was not a suitable political setting for the summit to produce the anticipated outcomes.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen related the decision to the conference in response to a query about what Israel expected in exchange for recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara and whether it intended to establish a consulate in the southern regions of the Kingdom.
Israel’s foreign minister stated, “We are working on this issue and our plan is to make our final decision at the Negev Forum,” noting that Morocco is anticipated to host the event in September or October.
Bourita said, in a previous press conference in Rabat, that “the forum will be held in Morocco in the next political entry.”
He added that while the Kingdom views the Negev Forum as an effective platform for regional cooperation, “there are problems in terms of the agenda and the political context that may not allow this meeting to be held in the summer, and may not help activate the expected result from it.”
Bourita stated that Morocco is “against all Israeli provocations, unilateral action, and everything that radicals from every side, especially the Israelis,” adding that the Kingdom “believes that the Negev Forum bears the idea of dialogue and easing tension.”