ISRAEL-MOROCCO NORMALISATION DEAL
Recently, Morocco and Israel have agreed to normalize relations in a deal brokered by the USA. It makes Morocco the fourth Arab country, after the UAE, Bahrain (Abraham Accords) and Sudan, to set aside hostilities with Israel in the past four months. US President Donald Trump announced the agreement through a post on Twitter. He tweeted saying, "Another HISTORIC breakthrough today! Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to full diplomatic relations - a massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East!
MAJOR CONCERNS OF THE DEAL
Morocco will establish full diplomatic relations and resume official contacts with Israel, reopen their liaison offices in Rabat (capital of Morocco) and Tel Aviv (a city in Israel) immediately with the intention to open embassies and promote economic cooperation between Israeli and Moroccan companies. Morocco intends to facilitate direct flights for Israeli tourists to and from Morocco.
The USA has changed its longstanding policy and recognised Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara. Since 2007, the UN Security Council, of which the USA is a veto-capable permanent member, has called on Morocco and the Polisario to engage in negotiations without preconditions to reach a “mutually acceptable political solution, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.”
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DEAL
The USA is putting in efforts to present a united front against Iran and minimise Tehran’s regional influence. This step is considered as a sovereign move and will contribute to strengthening the common quest for stability, prosperity and lasting peace in the region. The deal would deepen Morocco’s engagement with the West and will also boost Israel’s motive which has made it a priority to forge ties with formerly hostile countries in Africa and the Arab world in the absence of any progress with the Palestinians.
REACTIONS OF PALESTINIANS AND OTHERS
Palestinian officials condemned the agreement, saying it would encourage Israel's denial of their rights. They had also condemned the earlier agreements of the Arab states with Israel, calling it a betrayal on their part to the Palestinian cause. Palestinians have been critical of the normalisation deals, saying Arab countries have set back the cause of peace by abandoning a longstanding demand of Israel giving up land for a Palestinian state before it can receive recognition. Egypt and the UAE have welcomed Morocco’s decision. Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979. In an official statement, Morocco's King agreed to the peace deal with Israel with minimal delay. However, the royal statement clarified that these measures to normalise relations with Israel do not in any manner affect Morocco's ongoing and sustained commitment to the just Palestinian cause. The statement added that the King had spoken with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and assured him that he would not leave his position on defending the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The King reiterated his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Polisario Front's representative to the UN, Sidi Omar said Western Sahara's legal status is determined by international law and UN resolutions. The group's Europe representative, Oubi Bchraya, said that the change in US policy will not change an inch of the reality of the conflict and the right of the people of Western Sahara to self-determination.
WESTERN SAHARA DISPUTE (MOROCCO'S CLAIM)
• As a part of the Israel-Morocco Peace deal, the United States agreed to recognise Morocco's claim over Western Sahara. US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for Morocco's serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute over the Western Sahara territory. Trump recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the entire Western Sahara territory, as per a statement by the White House. Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony, was claimed by Morocco in 1975. Since then it has been a matter of territorial dispute between Morocco and its indigenous Saharawi people, led by the pro-independence Polisario Front, which seeks to establish an independent state in the region. While Morocco claims the territory to have always been a part of its region, the African Union recognises it as an independent state.
• The 16-year-long insurgency over the territory ended with an UN-brokered truce in 1991. A promise of an independence referendum was also made but it is yet to take place. As per the official US statement, an independent Sahrawi State is not a realistic option for resolving the dispute and Morocco’s genuine autonomy over the region is the only feasible solution. The United States will now open its consulate in Western Sahara as part of the Israel-Morocco deal.
OTHER PEACE DEALS OF ISRAEL BROKERED BY US
ABRAHAM ACCORD 2020
The Abraham Accord between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain is mediated by the USA. It is the first Arab-Israeli peace deal in 26 years.
As per the agreements, the UAE and Bahrain will establish:
• Embassies and exchange ambassadors.
• Working together with Israel across a range of sectors, including tourism, trade, healthcare and security.
• The Abraham Accords also open the door for Muslims around the world to visit the historic sites in Israel and to peacefully pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the third holiest site in Islam.
The agreement shows how the Arab countries are gradually decoupling themselves from the Palestine question. Palestine was among former Ottoman territories placed under UK administration by the League of Nations in 1922. All of these territories eventually became fully independent States, except Palestine. Full diplomatic ties will be established between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain which will have a positive impact on the entire region. The deal buys UAE a lot of goodwill in the US, where its image has been tarnished by its involvement in the Yemen war.
ISRAEL & SUDAN PEACE DEAL
Israel and Sudan have also agreed to normalise ties in a deal brokered with the help of US President Donald Trump. This makes Sudan the third Arab nation to recognise Israel in the last two months after Bahrain and the UAE. As per a joint statement issued by Israel, Sudan and the United States, the leaders of Israel and Sudan have agreed to normalise relations and end hostilities between the two nations. Both Israel and Sudan plan to begin normalisation of ties by opening up economic and trade relations with an initial focus on agriculture. The issues concerning formal establishment of diplomatic ties would be resolved later. An Israeli delegation is expected to travel to Sudan in the coming days to complete the peace agreement, announced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on October 24, 2020. It is, however, unclear as to how long it will take for a peace accord to be completed.
QUESTIONS (1-5)
Q.1 Recently, Morocco and Israel have agreed to normalise relations in a deal which was brokered by which of the following countries?
A. United States of America: ANSWER
B. Russia
C. United Arab Emirates
D. India
Q.2 Which of the following statements is/are correct about the normalisation deal Signed between Israel & Morocco?
A. The deal was brokered by India.
B. Morocco will reopen their liaison offices in Rabat (capital of Morocco) and Tel Aviv (a city in Israel): ANSWER
C. The country which brokered the deal does not recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.
D. None of the above
Q.3 Morocco becomes the 4th country which agreed to the normalisation deal with Israel. Earlier to this Which of three countries have signed the peace deal?
A. Jordan, Egypt, UAE
B. Bahrain, UAE, Sudan: ANSWER
C. UAE, Iran, Saudi Arabia
D. None of the above
Q.4 ‘Abraham Accord' which is a peace deal Signed between Israel and two Arab countries after 26 years. which of the following is other than those two countries?
A. Bahrain
B. United Arab Emirates
C. Sudan: ANSWER
D. Both A & B
Q.5 Consider the following statements and answer that which of the following statements are the possible advantages to India due to these normalisation deal Signed between Israel & Other Arab countries?
A. India can ramp up defence and security relations with Arab Countries
B. India will further strengthen its diplomatic ties with Israel.
C. These Gulf countries are largest oil producing countries which will benefit India.
D. All of the above: ANSWER
