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King of Morocco Invites Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Historic Visit
July 19, 2023
In a groundbreaking move, the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, extended an invitation to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to visit the North African nation. The invitation comes as a result of Israel’s willingness to recognize Moroccan sovereignty in the disputed Western Sahara region, as announced by the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday.
The letter from the Moroccan monarch, described as “warm” by the PMO, expressed a desire to strengthen the ties between the two nations through the visit. While no specific date for the visit has been set, the invitation marks a significant step, as it will be the first time Netanyahu visits one of the Arab countries that established diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. Previous attempts to visit the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain haven’t worked out.
The invitation follows Morocco’s announcement on Monday that Israel had informed Rabat of its decision to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the contested Western Sahara region. In response, King Mohammed VI received a letter from Netanyahu confirming Israel’s recognition of Morocco’s territorial rights in Western Sahara.