Morocco’s Prime Minister Rejects Normalization with Israel Ahead of Kushner Visit

In a statement to members of his political party, the Islamist Party of Justice and Development (PJD), he argued that engaging with the "Zionist entity" should "encourage it to go further in violating the rights of the Palestinian people", reports Reuters.

These rather clear words from the head of the Executive come a few days before the expected trip to Israel, Morocco and several Gulf states of Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. He will be preceded in the region by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, we learn.

According to some Israeli media, Morocco should be the next Arab state to normalize its diplomatic relations with Israel. Its previous tourism and commercial relations with the Hebrew state make it a likely candidate for this normalization of relations, reports the Kan radio.

By normalizing its relations with Israel, the Kingdom could also improve its relations with the United States. It could also obtain American recognition of its sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara, the radio assures.