Moroccan parliament president postpones visit to Israel
Three years after signing the historic Abraham Accords, Rabat and Tel Aviv appear to be struggling to establish a clear roadmap for diplomacy.
On September 6, Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, issued a statement announcing the postponement of the highly anticipated visit by the President of the Moroccan parliament for health reasons, AP reports.
The President of the Moroccan parliament, Enaam Mayara, had been hospitalized during a visit to Jordan. Mayara rescheduled his trip to Israel and canceled a planned visit to the Palestinian government in the West Bank earlier in the day, as stated in the Knesset’s announcement.
This visit represents a significant milestone in Morocco’s relations with Israel, as Mayara will be the first Moroccan official and one of the few Muslim leaders ever to enter the Knesset. The parliament had originally planned an honorary welcoming ceremony to celebrate the Moroccan official’s arrival.
While the two countries signed the Abraham Accords in 2020, leading to a series of official visits, increased trade, and the launch of direct flights, diplomatic initiatives between the two nations appear to be stalling.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing politics and concerns over the mistreatment of Palestinians are making it increasingly challenging for Rabat to promote its peace deal with Israel to an already reluctant population.
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