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Updated December 23rd, 2020 at 11:40 IST

As Israel-Morocco ties normalise, Jared Kushner aboard historic 1st Tel Aviv-Rabat flight

After normalisation of ties with Morocco in a US-brokered deal, Israel's first flight to the country took off with Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner onboard

Reported by: Navashree Nandini
Israel
| Image:self
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After normalisation of ties with Morocco in a US-brokered deal, Israel's first flight to the country took off on Tuesday with US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner onboard. Sharing a video, Avi Berkowitz, White House Assistant to the President and Special Representative for International Negotiations, said that it is a historic flight and opens all-new options in the Middle East. Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu also shared a photograph of the flight along with the boarding pass which had the word ‘Peace’ written in three languages - Hebrew, Arabic, and English. This development took place near simultaneously with the ruling government in Israel collapsing, with fresh elections the most likely outcome.

Video and picture here: 

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Morocco normalises ties

Joining the list of Arab countries recognising the state of Israel in 2020, Morocco on December 10 agreed to normalise relations with the Jewish nation in a US-brokered deal. US President Donald Trump made the announcement as the news came amid reports of a meeting between Saudi Prince Salman and Israel PM Netanyahu. The White House said that Trump and Morocco's King Mohammed VI had agreed that Morocco would "resume diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel and expand economic and cultural co-operation to advance regional stability."

The deal with Morocco assumes significance as the United States has agreed to recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, an area that was a bone of contention for a long time. A former Spanish colony, it was annexed by Morocco in 1975 and the region's Indigenous population under the 'Polisario Front' has waged a decades-long struggle for independence. The White House said that Trump in a phone call with the Moroccan King "reaffirmed his support for Morocco's serious, credible, and realistic autonomy proposal as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the dispute over the Western Sahara territory and as such the President recognised Moroccan sovereignty over the entire Western Sahara territory."

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Trump had said, "Another HISTORIC breakthrough today! Our two GREAT friends Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco have agreed to full diplomatic relations – a massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East!" In a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked Morocco's King and hailed the agreement. He said that the people of Israel and Morocco have had a "warm relationship in the modern period". Morocco's King said the "measures do not in any manner affect Morocco's ongoing and sustained commitment to the just Palestinian cause."

READ | Morocco To Normalise Ties With Israel As US Agrees To Its Sovereignty over Western Sahara

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Published December 23rd, 2020 at 11:40 IST

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