The Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, acknowledges in a letter sent to Mohamed VI “Morocco’s sovereignty over the territory of Western Sahara”, as reported this Monday by the Moroccan royal cabinet in a statement. The note states that Netanyahu indicates in the letter that his country’s new position regarding the former Spanish colony “will be reflected in all relevant acts and documents of the Israeli Government” and announces that Israel is examining the opening of a consulate in Dakhla. On the other hand, Morocco will convert its liaison office in Tel Aviv into an embassy.

According to the statement, the Israeli prime minister stresses in his letter that the decision will be “transmitted to the United Nationsto the regional and international organizations of which Israel is a member, as well as to all the countries with which Israel maintains diplomatic relations”. Regarding the possible opening of a consulate in Dakhla, the capital of Western Sahara, the note from the Royal Palace Moroccan affirms that Netanyahu informs in the letter to the Alaouite monarch that his country examines this step “positively”, which would be done to materialize this “State decision”.

In Israel, for the moment there has been no official announcement about the decision and, consulted by EFE, neither the Prime Minister’s Office nor the Foreign Office have confirmed the information given by Rabat.

The announcement by the Moroccan royal cabinet comes on the same day that Israel has appointed Colonel Sharon Itachi as its first military attaché in Morocco, in a context of strengthening security ties between the two nations since they reestablished diplomatic relations in December 2020, after two decades of tense ties over the Palestinian issue.

Its resumption occurred within the framework of the Abraham Accords, the rapprochement policy of Tel Aviv to Arab countries with US supportin a three-way movement in which former US President Donald Trump recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

After resuming relations, Israel and Morocco reopened liaison offices in Tel Aviv and Rabat, which were expected to become embassies. Since then, several Israeli ministers have visited the North African country to sign trade, transport or defense agreements.