LONDON: Morocco’s King Mohammed VI held a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, the kingdom’s state news agency MAP reported.
During the call, the king recalled the strong and special ties that bind the Jewish community of Moroccan origin to the Moroccan monarchy.
He also “reaffirmed the kingdom’s steadfast and unchanging position on the Palestinian issue, as well as its pioneering role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.”
King Mohammed commended the reactivation of diplomatic ties and restoration of communication between the two countries.
Netanyahu told the king he was determined to implement all commitments made according to their specific timetable.
An Israeli statement issued said both leaders spoke about moving forward with a US-brokered agreement announced earlier this month to normalize bilateral ties.
It added that Netanyahu also thanked King Mohammed for hosting an official Israeli delegation this week and invited the king to visit the Jewish state.
Israel and Morocco agreed on Dec. 10 to normalize relations in a deal brokered with US help, making Morocco the fourth Arab country to set aside hostilities with Israel in the past four months.
It joins the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan in beginning to forge deals with Israel, driven in part by US-led efforts to present a united front against Iran and roll back Tehran’s regional influence.
Prior to that only Egypt and Jordan had official ties with Israel, signed in 1979 and 1994 respectively.
(With Reuters)
Morocco’s king, Israel’s Netanyahu discuss bilateral relations
https://arab.news/vw27s
Morocco’s king, Israel’s Netanyahu discuss bilateral relations
- King Mohammed VI recalled the strong and special Jewish ties
- Netanyahu invited the king to visit Israel
Mass grave found in Libya containing bodies of 21 migrants
- A Libyan national has been arrested on suspicion of killing the migrants and holding others captive
- Photos and video circulated by local media outlets showed bodies piled together
TRIPOLI: Libyan authorities have uncovered a mass grave containing the bodies of 21 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, local media reported Thursday.
News outlets cited government sources as saying a Libyan national has been arrested on suspicion of killing the migrants and holding others captive on a farm in the northeastern town of Ajdabiya.
Libya is a key transit country for thousands of migrants attempting to reach Europe each year, with deaths among migrants frequently reported.
The Internal Security Agency for Libya’s east said it had “discovered a mass grave containing the bodies of 21 individuals of various African nationalities,” according to television channel Al-Masar.
The channel, which is aligned with eastern Libya’s army strongman Khalifa Haftar, said the suspect was detained during a raid on the farm.
Libya remains split between an administration in the east backed by Haftar and a government in the west recognized by the United Nations.
Independent news channel Al Wasat reported that the man had held migrants captive on the farm, some of whom were rescued and hospitalized after the raid.
Photos and video circulated by local media outlets showed bodies piled together and more than a dozen body bags laid out on the ground.
Libya has struggled to recover from chaos that erupted after a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 overthrew longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
Smugglers and human traffickers have taken advantage of the instability, with the country facing criticism over conditions for migrants and rights groups levelling accusations of extortion and slavery.
