Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid arrived in Rabat on Wednesday in the first visit by Israel's top diplomat to the kingdom of Morocco since 2003, after the countries upgraded relations in a U.S.-brokered deal last December.
Lapid was received by a junior Moroccan foreign minister at the airport before his scheduled meetings with his counterpart Nasser Bourita and Morocco's Tourism Minister Nadia Fettah Alaoui.
During the two-day visit, he will also inaugurate Israel's diplomatic mission in Rabat and visit Casablanca's historic Temple Beth-El.
Lapid said that " We are grateful to His Majesty King Mohammed VI. His vision and courage enabled us to be here today”, adding that “This historic visit is a continuation of the long-standing friendship and deep roots and traditions that the Jewish community in Morocco, and the large community of Israelis with origins in Morocco”.
The official visit of Lapid to Morocco will be an opportunity to sign with his Moroccan counterparts a Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of the political consultation mechanism, an Agreement On Cooperation in the Field of Culture, Sports and Youth, as well as an Air Service Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco and the government of the State of Israel.
Morocco was one of four Arab countries - along with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan - to move towards normalizing relations with Israel last year under U.S.-engineered accords.
