Netanyahu hopes for Moroccan royal visit in Israel before March elections

Reports yesterday reveal that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to arrange a visit to Israel by Moroccan King Mohammed VI. Netanyahu would like the king to arrive in Israel in the coming weeks, once the nationwide coronavirus lockdown is lifted. Reportedly, officials from the prime minister’s office and officials from Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) have been in contact recently with officials at the Dar al-Makhzen Palace to advance such a visit.

Israel’s prime minister hopes for the visit to take place before the March 23 elections. Such a visit is expected to appeal to the tens of thousands of Israeli voters of Moroccan origin. Still, chances of the visit taking place before the elections appear slim, as the king is reluctant to assist Netanyahu in his electoral efforts. An unnamed source from Jerusalem was quoted by Yedioth Ahronot newspaper as saying "there are talks and attempts, but I find it hard to see this happening. We know that Balfour (the prime minister's official residence) and the NSC want this to happen, but it is uncertain they will manage to pull it off before the election — although the king might change his mind and make a surprise visit."

Another obstacle to such a visit is the condition reportedly set by the king, which is to combine a visit to Israel with a visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Former US President Donald Trump had announced on Dec. 10 that Israel and Morocco agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations. Trump had also said that the United States had agreed to recognize Morocco’s claim over the disputed Western Sahara region. A joint Israeli-American delegation arrived in Rabat on Dec. 22 for a signature ceremony of several bilateral accords, cementing relations between the two countries.