The president of the Moroccan House of Councillors – the country's senate – will arrive this week for a historic state visit to Israel.
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Enaam Mayara said he had accepted an invitation from Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana and will arrive in Jerusalem on Thursday. He will one of the first high-raking Moroccan politician – and one of few Muslim leaders – to arrive at the Knesset for an official visit to include a red carpet and guard of honor.
Video: Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana in a historic visit to Morocco's House of Councillors / Credit: Jaouad ACIM
It will also be the first official meeting in Israel of high-ranking politicians from both countries following Israel's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Sources familiar with the matter noted that Mayara's is a reciprocal visit following the trip by Ohana to Morocco three months ago. Ohana's was the first visit by a Knesset speaker to a Muslim country in general and Morocco's senate, in particular.
In a historic first, the Moroccan flag will also be raised at the Knesset in honor of the occasion while the Israel Police Orchestra plays the country's anthem, after which Mayara will be invited to sign the Knesset's book of visitors.
The ceremony will be followed by a meeting by Ohana and the Moroccan delegation, with a press conference scheduled immediately after.
Ohana said of the upcoming visit, "This is a precedent visit that testifies to the new era created in Israel-Morocco relations. In the past, one could only dream of the arrival of a symbol of Moroccan rule for a state visit to Israel. Today it is a reality full of hope, which has something to teach us about the possibilities for expanding the circles of peace in the Middle East."
Morocco and Israel normalized ties in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords.
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