Morocco’s king, Israel’s Netanyahu discuss bilateral relations

LONDON: Morocco’s King Mohammed VI held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, the kingdom’s state news agency MAP reported.
During the call, the king recalled the strong and special ties that bind the Jewish community of Moroccan origin to the Moroccan monarchy.
He also “reaffirmed the kingdom’s steadfast and unchanging position on the Palestinian issue, as well as its pioneering role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.”
King Mohammed commended the reactivation of diplomatic ties and restoration of communication between the two countries.
Netanyahu told the king he was determined to implement all commitments made according to their specific timetable.
An Israeli statement issued said both leaders spoke about moving forward with a US-brokered agreement announced earlier this month to normalize bilateral ties.
It added that Netanyahu also thanked King Mohammed for hosting an official Israeli delegation this week and invited the king to visit the Jewish state.
Israel and Morocco agreed on Dec. 10 to normalize relations in a deal brokered with US help, making Morocco the fourth Arab country to set aside hostilities with Israel in the past four months.
It joins the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan in beginning to forge deals with Israel, driven in part by US-led efforts to present a united front against Iran and roll back Tehran’s regional influence.
Prior to that only Egypt and Jordan had official ties with Israel, signed in 1979 and 1994 respectively.
(With Reuters)

Morocco’s king, Israel’s Netanyahu discuss bilateral relations