Israel’s Liaison Office Inaugurated in Rabat
Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Moroccan Junior Foreign Minister Mohcine Jazouli inaugurated Israel’s Liaison Office in Morocco’s capital Thursday morning, following last year’s agreement to reestablish ties between the two countries.
At the ceremony, limited by COVID-19 restrictions, Lapid was accompanied by the members of his delegation, Welfare Minister Meir Cohen, a native of Morocco, chairman of Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Ram Ben Barak as well as by the Chargé d’affaires David Govrin.
After the inauguration of the Liaison Office, the foreign minister was due to spend time in Casablanca with the local Jewish community and pray at the Beth-El Synagogue there before returning back home Thursday night.
On Wednesday Lapid and his Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita held talks on a set of bilateral and regional issues and signed three framework agreements that covered political consultation between the ministries; cooperation in culture, youth, and sports; and air service between the countries.
“I am sure there are at least ten more agreements in the pipelines,” Bourita said after the meeting.
“This historic visit is a continuation of the longstanding friendship and deep roots and traditions that the Jewish community in Morocco, and the large community of Israelis with origins in Morocco, have,” Lapid said in a statement, referring to the million-plus Israelis of Moroccan heritage, many of whom regularly visit the North African country.
“It will be a moment for political and economic activity, and we will continue to work toward agreements that will bring innovation and opportunity to our countries,” he said.
Lapid is in Morocco for the first official visit by an Israeli top diplomat since 2003 and the highest-level trip since an agreement was signed by Jerusalem and Rabat last year to reestablish ties that were suspended with the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000.
The ties were restored in December 2020 under a US-brokered deal.
