In Rabat, Lapid holds lengthy talks with Moroccan FM, who urges 2-state solution
Nasser Bourita signs three framework agreements with his visiting Israeli counterpart, calls for immediate resumption of negotiations between Israel and Palestinians
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
RABAT, Morocco — Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita called for a two-state solution based on the pre-1967 border on Wednesday, after signing a series of framework agreements with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid.
Speaking in Arabic, Bourita said that “negotiations are the only way to reach a final and comprehensive solution for two states living side by side in total peace.”
He added that Morocco’s King Mohammad VI wants a secure Israel “based on the borders of 1967.”
Bourita stressed that Israel and the Palestinians “badly need to start rebuilding trust and confidence between both parties.”
Turning to Israel-Morocco ties, Bourita said the bilateral relationship “is not like any other.” He referenced the status of the Jewish community in the kingdom and ties between Jews in Israel and Morocco.
Speaking in English after Bourita, Lapid waxed poetic on peacemaking.
“The only wars that have any meaning are those against poverty, against ignorance, against pandemics and sickness,” he said, before quoting the Quranic verse, “If they lean toward peace, you too should lean toward it.”
“Nations and people are measured by their ability to really see the other,” Lapid continued. “To see the other’s suffering, their hope, their need for change.
This moment would not have arrived if we had not decided to see one another.”
He added that “the agreements that we will sign will bring our countries innovation and opportunities for the benefit of our children – and their children – for years to come.”
“Today, we are not being good politicians, we are being good parents,” Lapid said.
Immediately before the speeches, the two ministers signed three framework agreements that covered political consultation between the ministries; cooperation in culture, youth, and sports; and air service between the countries.
The signing ceremony took place after the two sat together for a private meeting that stretched well beyond the allotted time, a possible sign that there is personal chemistry between the ministers.
“I am sure there are at least ten more agreements in the pipelines,” Bourita predicted.
Lapid is in Morocco for the first official visit by an Israeli top diplomat since 2003 and the highest-level trip since an agreement was signed by Jerusalem and Rabat last year to reestablish ties after some two decades.
Lapid was greeted with fist bumps on the tarmac by Morocco’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mohcine Jazouli, Foreign Ministry Director-General Fouad Yazur and Foreign Ministry head of protocol Anas Khales.
Lapid and Jazouli then walked together to a conference room in the airport to hold an official meeting.
Lapid is set to officially open up the Israeli Liaison Office in Rabat on Thursday.
On Thursday, Lapid will also spend time in Casablanca with the local Jewish community and will pray in the Beth-El Synagogue there.
The trip is the fruit of a US-brokered deal for Morocco to resume ties with Israel, which were cut off in 2000 following the outbreak of the Second Intifada. Though the countries are not establishing full ties, Israeli officials have said they expect Rabat to eventually upgrade the relationship and establish embassies.
“This historic visit is a continuation of the longstanding friendship and deep roots and traditions that the Jewish community in Morocco, and the large community of Israelis with origins in Morocco, have,” Lapid said in a statement, referring to the million-plus Israelis of Moroccan heritage, many of whom regularly visit the North African country.
“It will be a moment for political and economic activity, and we will continue to work toward agreements that will bring innovation and opportunity to our countries,” he said.
Joining Lapid on the flight were Welfare Minister Meir Cohen, born in Essaouira, Morocco; Foreign Ministry Director-General Alon Ushpiz; Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Ram Ben Barak; and senior Health Ministry official Inbar Zucker.
David Levy visited Morocco as foreign minister in December 1999. In 2003, then-foreign minister Silvan Shalom made an official visit in an unsuccessful bid to convince Rabat to resume diplomatic relations.
Despite the lack of official ties in the intervening years, Israel and Morocco maintained a quiet relationship in the arms trade sector and Morocco continued to allow Israelis to visit, albeit only as part of organized groups.
The first direct commercial flights between Israel and Morocco took off in July, seven months after the countries agreed to normalize and open reciprocal diplomatic offices, but not embassies.
An Israeli diplomatic source said last month that the ties with the North African kingdom “will turn into full diplomatic relations.”
Experts say the trip will give Lapid an opportunity to improve not only bilateral ties but also Israel’s regional standing.
“An emphasis on regional and multi-regional opportunities offered by improved Israel-Morocco relations could help upgrade ties into full ambassadorial-level diplomatic relations and inject new substance into the developing ties,” said Nimrod Goren, president of Mitvim–The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies.
“The normalization with Morocco has already assisted Israel recently in reclaiming an observer status in the African Union, and it could lead to enhanced Israeli impact in the Mediterranean, promote joint Israel-Morocco participation in heavily funded EU programs, support high-level Israeli-Palestinian policy dialogue channels, and enable Israeli companies to be part of Moroccan-Emirati business cooperation,” he said.
In July, Lapid invited Bourita, his Moroccan counterpart, to visit Israel.
“After my trip to Morocco, Minister Bourita will come to visit Israel to open missions here,” Lapid said at a Yesh Atid faction meeting in the Knesset at the time.
Ushpiz, the Foreign Ministry director-general, was in Morocco in early July and delivered Lapid’s written invitation during a meeting with Bourita. Lapid stressed in his letter that restoring ties between Israel and Morocco was a historical milestone. Israel’s top diplomat also expressed his desire to make progress in bilateral cooperation in the fields of trade, technology, culture and tourism.
Also last month, a Moroccan air force plane touched down in Israel’s Hatzor Air Base, reportedly to take part in a multinational Israeli Air Force exercise.
The agreement with Morocco came as part of a wave of diplomatic agreements between Israel and Arab states, including the UAE, Bahrain and Sudan. In late June, Lapid made a historic trip to the United Arab Emirates to open the Israeli embassy in Abu Dhabi and the consulate in Dubai.
Judah Ari Gross and Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
