Israel reopened today, January 26, its diplomatic liaison office in Rabat after the arrival of its head, David Goffrin, to Morocco.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the reopening as “a historical moment.”
“The establishment of full diplomatic relations with Morocco is a day of Eid (Feast) for the state of Israel,” the ministry wrote.
The office has been closed since Morocco cut its diplomatic ties with Israel in the early 2000s.
The reopening of the Israeli liaison office in Morocco comes after the North African country agreed to re-establish its diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.
Morocco officialized its decision on December 22, 2020, through a tripartite Joint Declaration with the US and Israel.
Under the declaration, Morocco and Israel pledged to reopen their respective liaison offices in Rabat and Tel Aviv “as soon as possible.” They also agreed to intensify cooperation on a wide range of issues.
One of the major points that the two countries agreed on was the launch of direct flights in view of promoting tourism and business opportunities.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs appointed David Goffrin to lead the Israeli diplomatic mission in Morocco earlier this month.
Prior to his appointment in Morocco, Goffrin served as the Israeli ambassador to Cairo, Egypt.
At the time of writing, only Israeli official sources have announced the reopening of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs attached a photo of Goffrin with Israeli and Moroccan flags in the background, but it did not disclose whether Moroccan officials attended the reopening ceremony.
