Morocco Delays Israel-Arab Summit Amid Escalating Tensions in the West Bank
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Salma Hossein
- . June 24, 2023
- . Update: June 24, 2023 8:39 pm
A summit between Israel and Arab nations that have ratified the “Abraham Accords” peace pacts has been postponed, according to Morocco. The decision to postpone the meeting was made in response to the escalating conflict in the West Bank, including Israel’s expansion of settlement construction and a contentious Israeli operation that left casualties in Jenin. The postponement was due to schedule issues and “provocative and unilateral acts” that undermined peace efforts, according to Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. This action illustrates the fine line between diplomatic engagement and considering the issues surrounding the Palestinian cause.
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The postponement of the Israel-Arab summit results from worsening West Bank tensions. Morocco has denounced Israel’s settlement growth in the occupied territories and the Israeli raid in Jenin that claimed five lives. These provocative and unilateral activities harmed the region’s peace endeavors, which the foreign minister condemned. This postponement highlights the difficulties regional diplomacy faces in the face of raging crises and Morocco’s criticism.
Israel insists that its actions in Jenin were intended to capture two Palestinians considered attackers. Israel announced plans to erect 1,000 additional homes in the West Bank town of Eli after a neighboring Palestinian rifle shooting. Israel defends these moves as being required for security reasons, but the international world, including Morocco, has criticized and opposed them. The postponement of the summit has prompted no response from the Israeli government; therefore, the forum’s future is uncertain.
As part of the diplomatic movement led by the United States known as the Abraham Accords, Morocco is one of four Arab nations with normalized relations with Israel. The other three are the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan. Morocco increased its ties with Israel and promised to work towards full diplomatic relations in return for the United States’ acknowledgement of its sovereignty over the Western Sahara, which is the subject of a push for independence supported by Algeria. Morocco has constantly emphasized its support for creating a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, embracing a two-state solution, despite its improving relations with Israel.
It was expected that Israel, Bahrain, Morocco, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Egypt would attend the postponed conference initially scheduled for March. The gathering might have featured nations without established diplomatic relations with Israel and would have provided a forum for further diplomatic engagement. The delay, however, raises concerns about the future course of Israeli-Arab ties and the effectiveness of the Abraham Accords. The present Israeli government’s approach to foreign policy has drawn criticism from some, including Yair Lapid, a former foreign and prime minister of Israel, who emphasises the necessity of successful diplomacy.
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Morocco’s choice to postpone the Israel-Arab meeting in response to rising tensions in the West Bank highlights the difficulties that regional diplomatic efforts must overcome. The delay underscores Morocco’s opposition to aggressive behaviour and unilateral steps that jeopardise peace efforts, such as settlement growth. The forum’s future is doubtful as long as tensions in the area remain high. The delay serves as a reminder of the difficulties in juggling diplomatic engagement, local pressures, and efforts to find a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
