Report: Morocco asked Israel representative to leave

Morocco may have asked the official in charge of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, David Govrin, and his staff to leave the kingdom yesterday due to repeated provocative “posts” and amid mass protests opposing the kingdom’s normalisation deal with Israel, Al-Quds Al-Arabi news site reported.

The site quoted sources familiar with relations between Morocco and Israel, as saying that the Moroccan authorities may have considered Govrin a “persona non- grata” over his “reckless” actions, with analysts suggesting the kingdom may go as far as severing ties with Tel Aviv over its war in Gaza, similar to the measures it took 20 years ago amid Israel’s war on Gaza.

Meanwhile, Israeli diplomatic circles suggested that Govrin and his team were pulled out of Morocco due to the “tense situation” in the Arab world over the war in Gaza.

Govrin has repeatedly provoked Morrocans with his posts on Facebook regarding the Sahara issue, as well as inappropriate comments about the pro- Palestine protests which took place in Rabat on Sunday, the largest pro-Palestinian demonstrations seen in recent years.

Sources familiar with this file commented that in light of the feelings of anger that spread across the Moroccan street, this person cannot remain in Morocco, where he provokes the public with his posts.

Morocco restored relations with Israel in December, 2020, within the framework of the Abraham Accords.

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