Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke on phone with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI on Friday for the first time since the two countries agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations earlier this month.
The two leaders congratulated each other on the agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, which included the White House agreeing to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region.
"During the “warm and friendly” conversation, Netanyahu extended an invitation for King Mohammed VI to visit Israel. The two agreed to continue communications in order to advance the normalization agreement in the weeks ahead," the Prime Minister’s Office said, according to the Times of Israel.
“The leaders congratulated each other over the renewal of ties between the countries, the signing of the joint statement with the US, and the agreements between the two countries."
The Moroccan king’s royal office issued a statement saying that, in his conversation with Netanyahu, saying: "The consistent, unwavering and unchanged position of the Kingdom of Morocco on the Palestinian issue and the pioneering role of the kingdom in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.”
On Wednesday, Morocco’s tourism minister announced that direct flights will begin operating between Israel and Morocco within two or three months,
A joint Israeli delegation visited Morocco on Tuesday to sign several bilateral agreements and a trilateral declaration to solidify the normalization agreement.
Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser, and son-in-law, and Israeli National Security Adviser Meir Ben-Shabbat led the delegation which was on board the first direct commercial flight from Israel to Morocco.
Morocco was the third Arab state this year to normalize ties with Israel under US-brokered deals, joining the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Sudan has also announced plans to normalize ties with Israel, though no official agreements have been signed.
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