Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz is on a two day visit to Morocco on Nov. 24 to 25, becoming the first Israeli defense minister to visit Morocco after normalizing ties.
“We will take off in a few minutes on an important historic trip to Morocco, as it is the first official visit by an Israeli defense minister to this country,” said Gantz before taking off from Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Tuesday.
He added that his trip to Rabat aims to strengthen Moroccan and Israeli relations, “It’s a public announcement of our partnership […] It is very important to make this visit successful.”
Gantz began his visit to Rabat today by visiting the tomb of Mohammed V, where he laid a wreath and wrote in the visitors’ book.
Israel’s official will meet with his counterpart Abdellatif Loudiyi, the minister delegate in charge of the administration of national defense in Morocco, in order to sign cooperation agreement in the field of defense between the two states.
A group of experts and officials from the arms industry escort Gantz, on his trip to Rabat, to discuss investment opportunities in cooperation between the two countries in the military and defense field, according to EL ESPAÑOL.
The collaboration is expected to extend to the construction of a military base near Melilla, according to the Spanish newspaper.
The official schedule of the Israeli minister’s first day in Morocco, includes also a meeting with the Chief of Staff, in addition to a visit to the first parachute unit in Morocco.
An official lunch will gather Gantz with his Moroccan counterpart Loudiyi and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita.
Gantz will meet Bourita lately today in an official meeting.
Gantz two-day trip to Morocco aims to “lay the foundation stone for establishing future security relations between Israel and Morocco,” according to an Israeli official, noting that a framework agreement will be signed in this regard.
Israeli foreign minister Yair Lapid’s visited Rabat in August, as he signed three cooperation agreements with his counterpart Bourita and inaugurated a liaison office in the Moroccan Capital.
Alongside the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan, Morocco normalized ties with Israel, in 2020, under the mediation of Donald Trump’s administration.
add your comment
Terms of publication : Not to offend the writer, people, sacred things, or attack religions or the divine self, and refrain from racist incitement and insults.