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Calls for Morocco to clarify reports of secret meeting between FM and Israel PM

February 20, 2019 at 8:26 am

Moroccans hold Palestinians flags and banners during a pro Palestinian March in Rabat, Morocco [Jalal Morchidi/Anadolu Agency]

The Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization with Israel on Monday called on the government to comment on Israeli media reports claiming that Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu has secretly met Moroccan Foreign Minister, Nasser Bourita in New York, last year.

The group asked if the government’s silence on the matter can be interpreted as an implicit acknowledgement of the Israeli media reports’ credibility about the meeting as well as other reports on Netanyahu’s planned visit to Rabat.

On 31 January, Moroccan government spokesman Mustapha Al-Khoufi refused to respond to a question about an alleged visit by Netanyahu to the kingdom, describing the reports as “rumours”.

Last month, Moroccan activists reported that Netanyahu is scheduled to visit Rabat in March or April to coincide with the inauguration of the Synagogue  Slat Lkahal Mogador in Essaouira after it has been renovated.

The government did not comment on the reports, but stressed in previous statements that there are no official relations, political or commercial with Israel.

READ: Israel’s Netanyahu secretly met Morocco foreign minister