World News – AU – Exclusive: Moroccan Foreign Minister urges Biden to keep Trump’s deal

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita calls on the new von Biden administration to maintain the agreement signed by President Trump earlier this month, under which the U. . S.. . agreed to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara; and Morocco agreed to resume diplomatic relations with Israel.

What he says: « We realistically believe that the government will find a good justification to keep this up, » Bourita told me in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of a trilateral U.. . S.. . -Israel-Morocco summit in Rabat on Tuesday.

Why it matters: The U. . S.. . The recognition of Western Sahara was a controversial move that reversed decades from U.. S.. . politics. Israel and Morocco fear the rest of the deal could fall apart if Biden rolls it back.

The other side: Bourita claimed it was about peace and stability in the region and about ending two disputes that had lasted longer than they should: the Western Sahara conflict and the Arab-Israeli stalemate. « We have to be endgame-oriented, not process-oriented, » he said.

Driving news: On Tuesday, a U. . S.. . – The Israeli delegation, led by Jared Kushner and Israeli National Security Advisor Meir Ben-Shabbat, flew direct from Tel Aviv to Rabat.

Bourita told me that Morocco is different from the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan, which have normalized relations with Israel in recent months because Morocco first established formal relations with Israel in the early 1990s.

What’s next? Bourita said Morocco wanted to build bridges between Jews and Muslims in the region and could also help in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Noteworthy: It was crucial for Morocco to pair the normalization of Israel, a move that polls suggest only suggests a tiny fraction of Moroccan support, with a far more unified cause: the recognition of Moroccan control over Western Sahara.

Turkey and Israel both played key roles in Azerbaijan’s recent victory over Armenia in Nagorno-Karabakh. Now, a few weeks after the ceasefire, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev is trying to improve relations between his two allies, senior Israeli officials tell me.

The big picture: Drones and other weapon systems from Turkey and Israel have given Azerbaijan military superiority over Armenia. However, relations between Turkey and Israel have largely been frozen for the past decade.

Israel took advantage of Gen’s recent visit. . I am told by senior Israeli officials, Mark Milley, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff to convey several messages to the new Biden administration regarding Iran and other regional developments.

Why It Matters: Israel is very concerned about President-elect Biden’s plans for Iran and the 2015 nuclear deal, but has not yet made direct contact with the new government. Milley is a potential bridge to Biden’s White House as it is expected to last beyond the transition.

President Trump speaks to the leaders of Sudan and Israel on the phone at the White House, October. 23. Photo: Alex Edelman / AFP via Getty Images

President Trump signed a bill on Monday that would give Sudan immunity from future lawsuits by victims of the 1998 American embassy bombings in East Africa, bringing in nearly $ 1 billion for Sudan. S.. . financial aid and loans. However, the bill does not give Sudan immunity from lawsuits from families of victims of the 11th century. September grant.

Why It Matters: The legal aspect was a critical part of the deal between the Trump administration and Sudan, including removing the country from the list of state sponsors of terrorism and normalizing Sudan’s relations with Israel.

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Morocco, Israel, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu