The American think tank Atlantic Council has published a collection of essays marking five years of the Abraham Accords. In Morocco's case, the essay contends that Rabat's 2020 normalization with Israel was «a calculated move to position Morocco as a dependable pro-Western, pan-Abrahamic partner in North Africa, consolidating the future of the throne». Five years after their signing, the Abraham Accords remain a pillar of regional diplomacy, despite ongoing wars, shifting US priorities, and rising tensions with Iran. A new collection of essays published by the Atlantic Council, an American think tank, revisits the accords' legacy and prospects with contributions from authors in the US, Israel, the UAE, Bahrain, and Morocco. For Morocco, Sarah Zaaimi, resident senior fellow for North Africa at the Atlantic Council's Middle East programs, argues that normalization with Israel in 2020 was more than a diplomatic opening. In her view, it was «a calculated move to position Rabat as a dependable pro-Western, pan-Abrahamic partner in North Africa, consolidating the future of the throne». She frames the decision as part of the monarchy's long-term preparation of Crown Prince Moulay Hassan for «a seamless succession». According to Zaaimi, the young prince «needs to be surrounded by trustworthy and influential allies, hence the importance of joining the Abraham Accords' newly forming bloc». These networks, she writes, mirror Morocco's dynastic goal of safeguarding continuity in a volatile region. She contrasts this choice with Algeria's closer alignment to the Iranian-led «Axis of Resistance», presenting pan-Abrahamism as a continuation of Morocco's pragmatic foreign policy tradition. Accords' benefits The essay stresses that, despite rising anti-normalization sentiment fueled by the Gaza war, Morocco has reaped tangible benefits from the accords. «The two reconciled countries have never been closer at the military, intelligence, and economic levels», Zaaimi notes, citing Morocco's purchase of Israeli drones, anti-drone systems, missile systems, and an ongoing $1 billion satellite deal. On the political front, Zaaimi highlights how Morocco has leveraged the accords to strengthen its position on Western Sahara. Since 2020, Rabat has secured recognition of its sovereignty from the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom, France and other countries, which she believes bolsters the succession. «Moulay Hassan will not have to worry that half of the territories of his kingdom are internationally contested», she writes, «empowered with the vote of three UN Security Council members and the favorable momentum facilitated by his father's long-term vision». Still, the analysis concludes that the main challenge ahead is domestic opinion. With support for normalization dropping sharply since Gaza, Zaaimi cautions that Moulay Hassan «will still have to defend Morocco's strategic choices to side with pan-Abrahamism against revolutionary Islamism, particularly with his emotionally charged and largely pro-Palestinian population, which may favor regional pan-Arab and pan-Islamic sentiments over regional security and dynastic continuity». Article modified on : 16/09/2025 18h58
