International Relations & DiplomacyPolicy Outlook

Morocco-Israel Normalisation: A Geopolitical Shift with Far-reaching Consequences for the MENA Region

Written by: Anna Murphy

This policy outlook analyses the shift in US policy regarding the Western Sahara, Morocco-Israel relations, and the role of ‘normalisation’ as a tool in regional diplomacy.

On December 10th, 2020, the United States announced that it would recognise Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara. This policy shift, a product of years of covert diplomacy, was to be exchanged for Morocco’s ‘normalisation’ of ties with Israel. This quid pro quo, a signature of the Trump administration’s foreign policy, has far-reaching consequences that will continue to unfold in Israel, Palestine, Morocco, and throughout the MENA region. This policy outlook analyses some of the events that led up to this announcement and aims to establish what this crucial moment may mean for the future of Western Sahara, Morocco-Israel relations, and the role of ‘normalisation’ as a tool in regional diplomacy.

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Anna Murphy
Anna Murphy
Anna Murphy is a former research assistant at the TRT World Research Centre. Prior to joining the Research Centre, Anna was a Fulbright Scholar in Ankara, Turkey. She has a BA in Middle Eastern Studies from Brown University. While at Brown, she was an Undergraduate Research Fellow at the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs. Her research interests include political communication in the UK and EU, Middle Eastern politics, and US foreign policy in the MENA region.

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