Morocco hosts Israeli envoys, Kushner to flesh out new relations

[webfact]

Morocco hosts Israeli envoys, Kushner to flesh out new relations

By Ahmed Eljechtimi

 

Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat and U.S. White House Senior Adviser Jared Kushner arrive in Rabat, Morocco December 22, 2020. U.S. Embassy in Morocco/Handout via REUTERS

 

RABAT (Reuters) - Israeli envoys arrived in Morocco on Tuesday to meet the king and flesh out an upgrade of relations that was forged by the White House in a parting foreign policy push by U.S. President Donald Trump.

 

Led by National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat, the Israeli delegation was accompanied by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law and architect of pan-Arab rapprochement with Israel.

 

They took El Al Israel Airlines in the first direct flight by a commercial plane from Tel Aviv to Rabat. Both countries anticipate a surge in tourism aboard such connections, mainly among the hundreds of thousands of Israelis of Moroccan descent.

 

Morocco followed the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan in moving toward normal relations with Israel. Palestinians have censured the U.S.-brokered deals, seeing a betrayal of a long-standing demand that Israel first meet their statehood demand.

 

As the Trump administration has sought to isolate Israel's arch-enemy Iran, the deals have been sweetened with promises of business opportunities or economic aid.

 

Israel's new partners have also enjoyed bilateral benefits from Washington - in Rabat's case, U.S. recognition of its sovereignty over the Western Sahara.

 

The U.S.-brokered deal is a "major development in favour of regional peace and stability", Morocco's Royal Palace said in a statement following talks between King Mohammed VI, Ben-Shabbat and Kushner.The Palace also reiterated its position in support of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and highlighted its "close ties" with Morocco's Jewish community.

 

Moroccan and Israeli officials also signed accords on linking up aviation and financial systems, visa waivers for holders of diplomatic passports, and water management.

 

"There are no limits for cooperation...in aviation, innovation, health and agriculture. As friends and partners we will make a change in the region," said Ben-Shabbat, speaking in Moroccan Arabic. He invited King Mohammed to visit Israel, according to the Israeli Prime Minister's office.

 

A related agreement was signed under which the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation will offer $3 billion to support private investments in Morocco and in sub-Saharan Africa in partnership with Moroccan businesses.

 

Moroccan officials describe their deal with Israel as a restoration of mid-level ties that Rabat cooled in 2000 in solidarity with Palestinians, who seek statehood in territory captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war.

 

Israel and Morocco now plan to reopen mutual liaison offices within two weeks and to launch direct commercial flights, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita told reporters. The resumption of ties with Israel was welcomed by the major Moroccan political parties, but rejected by far left and Islamist groups.Israel hopes ties will eventually be upgraded to embassy level. However, asked if the countries might establish full diplomatic relations before Trump steps down next month, Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen told Ynet TV: "My understanding is that the likelihood is not high."

 

(Writing by Dan Williams and Ahmed Eljechtimi Editing by Mark Heinrich)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-12-23

 

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[Jeffr2]

Kushner and the Israelis tossing the people of Western Sahara under the bus.  But, what would you expect from Kushner.  He was one of the individuals who admitted they lied about the virus to us.  Resulting in the needless deaths of thousands of Americans.

[rudi49jr]

10 hours ago, Jeffr2 said:

Kushner and the Israelis tossing the people of Western Sahara under the bus

So true. The Sahrawi were largely under the bus already, though, ever since Morocco annexed the territory in 1975 and started the repression of its original inhabitants and bringing in hundreds of thousands of Moroccans. But this deal between Morocco and Israel and the USA recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the territory is a low blow and almost literally stabbing the Sahrawi in the back. This could also very well lead to a renewed war between Morocco and Polisario. 
Polisario was actually fighting a very effective guerrilla war back in the 70’s and early 80’s. They managed to kick out Mauritania - who had occupied the southern one-third of Western Sahara - in just three or four years and were well on their way kicking out the Moroccans as well when the Moroccan army had the brilliant idea of building a 2700-kilometers long berm to keep Polisario out. And that was basically the end of the war.
France played a very dubious role in this war, by the way, they actively assisted both the Mauritanian and the Moroccan army in their fight against Polisario. And I’m pretty sure the Americans (i.e. the CIA) played a role in this as well. 

[Meat Pie 47]

1 hour ago, rudi49jr said:

So true. The Sahrawi were largely under the bus already, though, ever since Morocco annexed the territory in 1975 and started the repression of its original inhabitants and bringing in hundreds of thousands of Moroccans. But this deal between Morocco and Israel and the USA recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the territory is a low blow and almost literally stabbing the Sahrawi in the back. This could also very well lead to a renewed war between Morocco and Polisario. 
Polisario was actually fighting a very effective guerrilla war back in the 70’s and early 80’s. They managed to kick out Mauritania - who had occupied the southern one-third of Western Sahara - in just three or four years and were well on their way kicking out the Moroccans as well when the Moroccan army had the brilliant idea of building a 2700-kilometers long berm to keep Polisario out. And that was basically the end of the war.
France played a very dubious role in this war, by the way, they actively assisted both the Mauritanian and the Moroccan army in their fight against Polisario. And I’m pretty sure the Americans (i.e. the CIA) played a role in this as well. 

Kushner won't be flashing out anything in 30 days