Rabat-Tel Aviv Diplomatic Relations Expected as of February

JACK GUEZ, Jody AMIET AFP/File
JACK GUEZ, Jody AMIET AFP/File
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Rabat-Tel Aviv Diplomatic Relations Expected as of February

JACK GUEZ, Jody AMIET AFP/File
JACK GUEZ, Jody AMIET AFP/File

The announcement of the establishment of relations between Morocco and Israel, under the auspices of the United States, stirred a wave of local and international reactions, amid expectations that US President Donald Trump would seek to organize a tripartite contact with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to outline the next steps.

Rabat said that reviving contacts with Tel Aviv was not a normalization, since relations were already in place until 2002. Morocco’s public opinion and political circles widely welcomed the US declaration of recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara, which came in parallel with the announcement of establishing relations between Israel and the Northern African country.

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita said on Friday that the recent development in relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv “is not normalization”, noting that his country had a liaison office until 2002.

In remarks to the Russian Sputnik agency, Bourita denied that the American recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara came in exchange for restoring relations with Israel, stressing that relations between the two countries existed since the 1990s.

Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othmani, the secretary-general of the Justice and Development Party, told the Moroccan TV Channel 1 that the US recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over all of its Sahara was a “great achievement”, noting that this step “will impact the course of the Moroccan Sahara file in the coming years, if not in the coming months.”

Othmani did not mention Morocco’s decision to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. Observers noted that the Justice and Development Party, until Friday evening, has remained silent, while its official website only published the two royal statements issued on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, Paris welcomed on Friday the “resumption of diplomatic relations” between Israel and Morocco, saying that a “just and lasting solution” must be found to the Sahara conflict. A spokeswoman for the French Foreign Ministry was quoted by AFP as saying that the conflict in Western Sahara was lingering and represented a constant risk of tension.

The Polisario leadership said Friday that the American decision was “null and void”, adding that it was ready to continue the fight “until the withdrawal of the Moroccan occupying troops.”

Russia, for its part, condemned on Friday the US President’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, saying it contradicted international law. “This is a violation of international law,” Russian news agencies quoted Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying.

In Manama, the King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, welcomed the United States’ recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Moroccan Sahara region and the opening of an American consulate in the city of Dakhla, describing it as an important historical step.

In Tehran, a senior Iranian official described Morocco’s normalization of relations with Israel as “treason.” Hossein Amirabdollahian, an advisor to the speaker of the Iranian parliament, said Friday that the normalization was “a betrayal and a stab in the back of Palestine.”

Meanwhile, the US is negotiating the sale of at least four sophisticated large aerial drones to Morocco, according to three US sources familiar with the negotiations quoted by Reuters.

In Tel Aviv, political sources confirmed that talks would start soon between Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco in order to sign a formal agreement to normalize relations. The sources said that the initial talks would be completed within one month and that relations would begin in February or March.



US Sends Beirut ‘Warning’ and ‘Incentive’ Over Hezbollah Arms

US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)
US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)
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US Sends Beirut ‘Warning’ and ‘Incentive’ Over Hezbollah Arms

US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)
US special envoy Tom Barrack (Reuters)

US special envoy Tom Barrack delivered a dual message of “incentive” and “warning” to the Lebanese capital this week, urging swift action on the issue of Hezbollah’s weapons.

“You have Israel on one side, you have Iran on the other, and now you have Syria manifesting itself so quickly that if Lebanon doesn’t move, it’s going to be Bilad Al Sham again,” he said, using the historical name for the Syria region.

The remarks sparked alarm within Lebanon’s political establishment, with some interpreting the comments as a blunt warning of “existential danger.”

Government sources told Asharq al-Awsat that Barrack, who also serves as Washington’s ambassador to Türkiye and was previously tasked with Syria policy, appears to be approaching the Lebanon and Syria files through a unified lens.

“Barrack believes that Lebanon should follow the same diplomatic path as Syria,” one official said, referring to Damascus' recent re-engagement with regional and international actors. “But he also understands Lebanon’s complex political terrain.”

Barrack’s comments about Lebanon potentially “returning to Bilad Al Sham” provoked criticism across the political spectrum, prompting him to clarify his position in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

“My comments yesterday praised Syria’s impressive strides, not a threat to Lebanon,” wrote Barrack.

“I observed the reality that Syria is moving at light speed to seize the historic opportunity presented by President Donald Trump lifting of sanctions: investment from Türkiye and the Gulf, diplomatic outreach to neighboring countries, and a clear vision for the future,” he added.

He said Syria’s leadership is “seeking coexistence and shared prosperity with Lebanon based on sovereign equality,” and stressed that the United States supports a bilateral relationship that promotes “peace, prosperity, and mutual respect” between the two nations.

“I can assure that Syria’s leaders only want co-existence and mutual prosperity with Lebanon, and the United States is committed to supporting that relationship between two equal and sovereign neighbors enjoying peace and prosperity,” said Barrack.

Barrack, in the context of disarming Hezbollah, had stated that a successful approach requires a combination of "carrots and sticks". This means using both positive incentives (carrots) and negative consequences (sticks) to achieve the desired outcome.

Barrack’s recent warning to Lebanon reflects the “stick” Washington is wielding, while his unprecedented acknowledgment of Hezbollah’s dual structure signals the “carrot” being offered.

“This is the first time a US official publicly distinguishes between Hezbollah’s political and military wings,” one source told Asharq al-Awsat.

“It’s a message of inducement aimed directly at Hezbollah, despite the fact that Washington has long treated both branches as inseparable and placed them under the same sanctions regime,” they explained.

In remarks to the press, Barrack reiterated the US designation of Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, but added nuance rarely heard from senior American officials.