Israeli govt approves normalisation deal with Morocco

Tel Aviv, Jan 25 (IANS) The Israeli government has voted to approve the recently-announced normalisation deal with Morocco, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu calling it "a historic moment after four peace agreements with four Muslim and Arab states in four months".

A government spokesperson said in a statement that the ministers unanimously voted in favour of the agreement on Sunday, Xinhua news agency.

The US-brokered deal, first announced in December 2020, is expected to be brought to the Knesset (Parliament) for approval in the next few days, the spokesperson added.

The cabinet voted on an agreement that is "mindful that the establishment of full diplomatic, peaceful and friendly relations is in the common interest of both countries and will advance the cause of peace in the region, improve regional security and unlock new opportunities for the whole region", The Jerusalem Post reported.

It grants "authorisation for direct flights" and calls to "resume full official contacts between Israeli and Moroccan counterparts and establish full diplomatic, peaceful and friendly relations".

In a statement, Netanyahu added that "together we are advancing direct flights between the countries".

"It will happen soon – economic, trade, technological cooperation and the opening of missions in both countries," he added.

The normalisation agreement between Israel and Morocco signed on December 22, 2020 is the third such deal the Jewish state inked with an Arab country last year.

The other two countries are the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

Morocco had severed relations with Israel in 2000 after the second Palestinian uprising.

Sudan also has agreed to normalise its relations with Israel.

The Jerusalem Post report said that Israel expects to reopen its liaison office in the Moroccan capital Rabat in the coming days.