Morocco’s king receives US, Israeli delegations at Royal Palace

RABAT – Morocco’s King Mohammed VI received on Tuesday the US and Israeli delegations at his palace in Rabat.

Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner led a delegation from Israel to Morocco the first known direct flight since the two countries agreed to establish full diplomatic ties earlier this month as part of a series of US-brokered normalization accords with Arab countries.

Here follows a statement by the royal office:

"His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God be with him, accompanied by HRH Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, received on Tuesday, December 22, 2020, at Rabat Royal Palace, a delegation made up of:

­Mr. Jared KUSHNER, Senior Adviser to the President of the United States of America;

Mr. Meir BEN-SHABBAT, National Security Adviser of the State of Israel;

­and Mr. Avrahm BERKOWITZ, Special Assistant to the President of the United States of America and Special Representative for International Negotiations.

During this audience, His Majesty the King - may God assist him - reiterated his deep satisfaction with the historic outcome of the telephone conversation he had on December 10, 2020 with His Excellency Donald Trump, President of the United States of America.

The Presidential Proclamation recognizing the Moroccanness of the Sahara and the measures announced for a resumption of cooperation mechanisms with Israel constitute major developments for the promotion of peace and regional stability.

These measures concern the granting of authorization to Israeli airline companies to carry members of the Moroccan Jewish community and Israeli tourists to Morocco, the full resumption of diplomatic and official contacts and relations with Israel at the appropriate level, the promotion of dynamic, innovative bilateral economic cooperation, as well as measures for the re-opening of liaison offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv.

His Majesty the King - may God be with him - congratulated Mr. KUSHNER on the considerable work he has accomplished since his visit to Morocco in May 2018, which has made it possible to achieve this historic turning point in favor of Morocco's territorial integrity and this promising development for peace in the Middle East.

Addressing Mr. Meir, His Majesty the King - may God assist him - underlined the special bonds with the Moroccan Jewish community, particularly the members holding executive positions in Israel.

The Royal Audience was an opportunity to reaffirm that all the decisions and measures announced during the telephone conversation of December 10 between His Majesty the King and President Donald Trump will be implemented in full.

Finally, His Majesty the King - may God be with him - reiterated the coherent, constant and unchanged position of the Kingdom of Morocco on the Palestinian question, which is grounded in the two-State solution: two States living side by side, in peace and security; negotiations between the Palestinian and the Israeli sides as the only means for achieving a comprehensive and final settlement and the commitment of His Majesty, Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, to safeguarding the Islamic character of the Holy City.

At the end of this audience, a Joint Declaration between the Kingdom of Morocco, the United States of America and the State of Israel, was signed before His Majesty the King by the Head of Government, Mr. Saad Eddine El Otmani, Mr. Jared KUSHNER and Mr. Meir BEN-SHABBAT.

This Audience was also attended by Mr. Adam Seth Boehler, CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, Mr. Fouad Ali El Himma, Advisor to His Majesty the King, and Mr. Nasser Bourita, Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad".

Joint Declaration

The Joint Declaration stipulates the US Proclamation on the recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty of over the entire Western Sahara and reaffirms Washington’s support for Morocco's serious, credible and realistic autonomy proposal as the sole basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute in the territory.

To facilitate progress in the pursuit of this goal, the three countries also stipulate that the US "will encourage economic and social development with Morocco, including in the territory of Western Sahara, and, to this end, will open a consulate in the territory of Western Sahara, in Dakhla, to promote economic and commercial opportunities in favour of the region.”

The three countries recognize the historic role which Morocco has always played for the rapprochement of peoples and the promotion of peace and stability in the Middle East, and taking into account the special links that the King maintains with the Moroccan Jewish community living in Morocco and around the world, including Israel.