US welcomes Israel FM’s visit to Morocco

The American administration of US President Joe Biden yesterday welcomed the visit of Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to Morocco, the State Department said

In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “The United States welcomes the visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to the Kingdom of Morocco for the reopening of the Israeli Liaison Office in Rabat.”

Blinken added: “Foreign Minister Lapid’s trip — the first to Morocco by an Israeli Foreign Minister since the agreement to establish full diplomatic relations between the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco was announced — and the reopening of the Israeli Liaison Office in Rabat are significant for Israel, Morocco, and the broader region.”

He continued: “The United States will continue to work with Israel and Morocco to strengthen all aspects of our partnerships and create a more peaceful, secure and prosperous future for all the people of the Middle East.”

Lapid arrived in Morocco on a two-day visit yesterday. Israel and Morocco announced the resumption of diplomatic relations on 10 December last year. All links had previously been cut in 2000 at the start of the Second Intifada. Morocco became the fourth Arab country to normalise ties with Israel in 2020, after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.

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