Active neutrality as a foreign policy: The case of Morocco in Abraham Accords

Active neutrality is one of the realist foreign policies adopted to address a conflict that a state sees its security interests are indirectly affected by. In such conflicts, maintaining/establishing relations with both parties of the conflict is a survival must. According to Realism's IR school of thought, securing security is an act of survival in an international system characterized by anarchy. States will do whatever it takes to ensure their survival. This thesis takes Morocco as case study with regards to its handling of the Palestine/ Israel conflict as a manifestation of this policy. It found itself dealing with a situation that jeopardizes its security interests; a Cold War with Algeria. It adopted active neutrality as a response to the conflict it had to have a stance on to ensure its security. The question therefore is: How can active neutrality as a foreign policy orientation explain Morocco's foreign policy decisions during the Abraham Accords of 2020? As related; in what sense, active neutrality can make sense of evolution of Moroccan foreign policy? A comparative analysis is conducted via the qualitative content analysis method. The study compared Morocco's stance on the conflict three years before and after the Abraham Accords in the context to its Cold War with Algeria. The thesis concludes that some policy changes, especially with regards to normalization with Israel is detected in the post-Abraham Accords in the foreign policy speeches coded. The essence of this change signals more of a smooth transition instead of a dramatic policy change. Therefore, one can suggest that active neutrality policy orientation is built in a continuing manner of which indicators can be detected in both periods focused on in this thesis. Other than that, the thesis could not detect any other changes, particularly with regard to its solidarity with Palestine; it appears that Morocco has been consistent with its stance on the conflict throughout the study's time frame. Morocco's normalization with Israel in exchange for the US' recognition of the Morocaness of the Sahara, is explained by the defensive realist theory as a way for Morocco to maximize its security via active neutrality; a policy that is regarded as moderate in the context of its Cold War with Algeria.