Israel's Israir and El Al airlines said Thursday that they were «ready» to operate direct flights between Morocco and Israel, the wake of a normalization agreement between Rabat and Tel Aviv. According to Jerusalem Post, the Israeli airline Israir quickly announced that «within a few months, they would begin 20 flights a week between the two countries», Israir CEO Uri Sirkis said. For its part, the airline El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. said it is examining
«Ankara is against establishing relations with any country at the expense of the Palestinian cause», Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Thursday in the wake of a normalization agreement between Morocco and Israel. According to the Turkish press agency Anadolu, this statement was made during a phone call with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita. The agency also indicates that Mevlut Cavusoglu called, on the same day, his Algerian counterpart Sabri Boukadoum.
Rabat and Madrid have agreed to postpone a high-level meeting to February 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The meeting was scheduled for December 17, the two governments said in a joint statement. It is «a crucial meeting for the development of deep relations of friendship and cooperation between the two strategic partners, which are Morocco and Spain», the press release read. But the two kingdoms «noted that the current epidemiological situation prevents the high-level
Prince Hicham Alaoui welcomed, Thursday, the United States’ recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, calling it «courageous». «We want the next administration to continue on the same path», wrote King Mohammed VI's cousin on Twitter. On the other hand, the prince ignored the resumption of diplomatic ties between Israel and Morocco, stressing «Morocco's constant, historical and pragmatic support to the Palestinian cause». He
The United States is about to conclude the sale of four sophisticated large aerial drones to Morocco, three US sources familiar with the negotiations told Reuters. The deal is expected to be discussed with members of Congress in the coming days, it added. The four «drones MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones made by General Atomics have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,100 km) and could survey huge swaths of sea and desert», the same source explained. Said deal with Morocco is one of
It was through its representative in Washington that the Polisario said it «regretted» the announcement of the United States, which recognized on Thursday Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara. «We regret the decision taken by President Trump, but the reality is that Morocco occupies part of the territory of an African Union member state. Such a decision will not change the status of the territory», Mouloud Said declared. «The Saharawi people cannot
King Mohammed VI phoned, Thursday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to inform him about the the telephone call he had with US President Donald Trump. A statement from the royal cabinet indicates that the King assured to the Palestinian president that his position in favor of the Palestinian cause is «the same and does not change». In this regard, the Sovereign reiterated Morocco's support for the two-state solution and that negotiations between the Palestinian and
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed Morocco’s «historic» normalization agreement in a speech delivered, Thursday, at Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony with US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman at the Kotel. Netanyahu’s words come after Morocco announced that it is normalizing diplomatic ties with Israel, as the United States recognized the Kingdom’s sovereignty over the Sahara and promised the opening of a consulate in Dakhla. «I have always
3,345 new coronavirus cases were recorded in Morocco during the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of Covid-19 infections in the country to 391,529. 4,249 new recoveries were recorded during the same period, bringing the total number of recoveries to 345,934. 65 deaths were recorded between yesterday and today, bringing the total number of deaths to 6,492. 17 of these deaths were recorded in the region of Casablanca-Settat, 12 in Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, 8 in Souss-Massa, 8 in
The United States will open a consulate in the city of Dakhla, a royal statement announced Thursday. The diplomatic representation will have an economic mission, encouraging American investment and promoting economic and social development in the region. The decision was announced after Morocco and Israel agreed to normalize ties as part of a deal brokered by the United States. The latter recognized on the same day Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara in an announcement made by