Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Benjamin (Bibi) NetanyahuMORE on Friday he invited the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, to visit the Jewish state as the two countries strengthen their new diplomatic relations.
Netanyahu’s office said the two leaders held a “warm and friendly” conversation, during which the invitation was extended.
“The leaders congratulated each other on the renewal of ties between the countries, the signing of the joint declaration with the US and the agreements between the two countries,” according to the Netanyahu office statement.
“In addition, the processes and mechanisms for implementing the agreements were determined,” he added.
The talk comes after the Trump administration negotiated a peace deal between the two countries. Israel and Morocco have long maintained informal ties.
Senior Councilor of the White House Jared Kushner
Jared Corey KushnerPompeo: The United States will establish a diplomatic post in the disputed Western Sahara. Kushner flies in first commercial flight between Israel and Morocco GOP senator over Trump pardons: “This is rotten to the core” MORE this week he flew aboard Israel’s first direct commercial flight to Morocco.
King Mohammed’s office said in a statement on Friday that it “recalled the strong and special ties between Morocco’s Jewish community and the Moroccan monarchy” and “congratulated the reactivation of cooperation mechanisms between the Kingdom of Morocco and the ‘State of Israel’.
Morocco was the fourth majority Arab country to make peace with Israel this year, after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
The Trump administration recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara as part of the deal.
Muslim countries have long resisted establishing ties with Israel as long as there is no agreement with the Palestinians to establish a state of their own. However, changing regional alliances with Israel and the Gulf nations against Iran have mixed traditional calculus in the Middle East.
In its statement, King Muhammad’s office said it “reiterated the Kingdom of Morocco’s constant, unwavering and unaltered position on the Palestinian question and the Kingdom’s pioneering role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East “.
Updated at 5:21 p.m.