Speaking at a panel entitled “Paradigm shifts: what developments in the Middle East?”, vice president of the think tank American Foreign Policy Council, Ilan Berman, said that “we are clearly living in a new era”, believing that the Abrahamic Accords “are not artificial, but organic”.
“There is a tendency to say that these accords are the product of the Trump administration. But, in my opinion, this is incorrect,” he said. In this sense, the US expert recalled, as an example, the cultural ties between Morocco and Israel and the large Moroccan diaspora established in Israel.
“The Abraham accords have a strategic logic, and that is why they have proved so durable,” said the US expert, who highlighted the enormous opportunities that have not yet been explored by these accords. In this regard, he pleaded in particular for the strengthening of social connections and intellectual dialogue between Arab and Israeli think tanks.
In addition, he said that “Morocco, which is one of the largest global producers of fertilizer, and Israel, which has a leading expertise in irrigation, could strengthen their collaboration in this area for the benefit of Africa”.
In the same vein, president of the Middle East Institute, Paul Salem, stressed that Morocco’s fertilizer reserves are “just as important as oil and gas,” noting that Morocco will have to play a “crucial” regional role in the coming years, especially in a context of food insecurity.
For the US political scientist, “the breakthrough between Israel and the Arab countries is extremely significant and positive” and should be seized to explore new avenues of partnership.
“The potential is enormous with tourism, which has already begun with direct lines, food security and the possibility for Morocco to cope with water stress by relying on the expertise of Israel that has developed an exceptionally advanced technology,” said Assia Bensalah Alaoui, Ambassador at Large of HM the King.
President of the Emirates Policy Center think tank, Ebtesam Al Ketbi, said that the Abraham Accords offer new opportunities and change the regional dynamics of partnerships.
These accords also create a new regional dynamic and show that it is possible to address the Palestinian issue and resolve it through dialogue between different regional actors, said Al Ketbi.
