US praises Moroccan King’s commitment to peace, security in the Middle East

US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has praised King Mohammed VI’s commitment to peace and security in the Middle East.

During a phone call Wednesday with Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, the U.S. top diplomat also welcomed continued “close” cooperation between Morocco and the United States, according to a press release issued Thursday by the State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller.

The two officials also discussed efforts to prevent escalation in the Middle East region and secure the release of hostages.

Morocco had expressed its deep concern at the deterioration of the situation and the outbreak of military action in the Gaza Strip, condemned attacks against civilians wherever they may be, and called for an immediate halt to all acts of violence.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs last Saturday at the outbreak of violence said Morocco, which has repeatedly warned of the repercussions of the political deadlock on peace in the region, calls for an immediate halt to all acts of violence and a return to calm, while avoiding all forms of escalation that could undermine the chances of peace in the region.

Morocco also summoned an extraordinary session of the Arab League Ministerial Council on the situation in Palestine. During the session, held Wednesday in Cairo, Bourita underlined that King Mohammed VI has continuously called for moving away from the logic of conflict and violence and to promote that of peace, cooperation, and the construction of a prosperous space for all the peoples of the region.

Bourita also expressed Morocco’s readiness to join any Arab and international effort aimed at realizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people for the establishment of an independent state with East Al-Quds as its capital, based on the borders of June 4, 1967, in accordance with the internationally agreed upon two-state solution.