On Thursday (12/9), Israel and Morocco marked one year of normalized relations at a joint celebration at the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C.
In December 2020, the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco reestablished diplomatic ties through a trilateral Agreement with the United States. Since this historic breakthrough, the two countries have grown closer through government relations and on a people-to-people basis. This connection builds upon decades of kinship towards the Jewish community in Morocco, from Moroccan kings to the Moroccan people, and lies at the heart of the bond between both countries.
Ambassador Lalla Joumala and Ambassador Herzog celebrated this milestone together along with distinguished guests including the State Department’s Acting Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Yael Lempert and Representatives Ted Deutch (D-FL) and Steve Cohen (D-TN).
Ambassador Herzog reiterated his commitment to working together with the Moroccans to not only expand upon relations between the two countries but to collaborate on innovative projects that will better the region.
During his remarks, Ambassador Herzog said: “This new chapter in our special relationship goes much deeper than aligned geopolitical interests.”
“The relations between the Jewish people and Morocco are ancient, unique and noteworthy. Generations of Jews have found refuge all over Morocco at various points over the last few thousand years. Together, we can advance our shared vision for a peaceful, thriving and stable region. I strongly believe that the relations between us, as well as the relations between Jews and Muslims at large, could make a significant contribution in this respect. They could become a game-changer in many critical areas such as healthcare, climate change, food security, high tech and so much more.”
Ambassador Lalla Joumala reflected that a bold step was taken, a year ago, under the stewardship of His Majesty King Mohammed VI to re-establish diplomatic ties with Israel under the Trilateral Agreement opening new bridges and pathways between our countries. She also emphasized the need to relentlessly work in order to ensure that these recent achievements are deepened to sustain the momentum in favor of regional peace and prosperity.
This event was in collaboration with the American Jewish Committee and the Watergate Group.