Israeli parliament speaker Amir Ohana pays first visit to Morocco
As the son of Moroccan-born parents, Knesset speaker Amir Ohana is especially moved to visit his family's homeland.
Speaker of the Israeli parliament Amir Ohana is set to arrive on Wednesday to Morocco on the first such visit to the country, reflecting deepening ties between the two states that normalized relations in 2020.
Ohana is scheduled to meet with his Moroccan counterpart, Rashid Talbi al-Alami, the Israel-Morocco parliamentary friendship group and other Moroccan lawmakers. Both parliament speakers will sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at developing bilateral parliamentary cooperation. Ohana will also meet with leaders of the local Jewish community.
The Moroccan-Israeli Friendship Association was formed last month. The website of the Moroccan parliament shows seven members in that group from both sides of the political aisle — though the Islamist Party of Justice and Development refused to join the new association. Nor-Ddin Elhrouchi of the ruling Constitutional Democratic Social Group is listed as the association's president. Ohana's invitation was extended by his Moroccan counterpart after the group was formed. A similar friendship group was formed in the Israeli parliament in 2021.
A statement issued by Ohana's office said, "How appropriate that of all (Muslim) countries, the Kingdom of Morocco is the first to invite the head of the State of Israel’s legislature, who also happens to be of Moroccan descent, for an official visit to its parliament.”
