Israel's economy minister visits Morocco to develop trade ties

An Israeli minister arrived in Morocco on Sunday for a visit aimed at developing economic and trade ties, in the latest sign of expanding cooperation after the countries normalised relations in 2020.

Economy Minister Orna Barbivai is due to sign "a historic cooperation agreement" aiming to establish "the economic foundations of trade relations between Morocco and Israel", her ministry said in a statement.

She is scheduled to visit Morocco's capital Rabat, economic centre Casablanca, and tourist hub Marrakesh, to tour textile and agricultural companies and meet ministers and business representatives on the four-day trip.

"Morocco has great importance for Israel diplomatically, economically and culturally," she said before the visit, on which she is accompanied by her Moroccan-born husband.

Bilateral trade amounted to about $130 million last year.

The trip comes less than three months after Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz made an unprecedented visit to Morocco in November, signing a security pact that angered Rabat's neighbour and rival Algeria, and the Palestinians.

After his visit, Israeli and Moroccan media reported Rabat's purchase of Israeli defence technology.

Israel and Morocco had initially established relations in the 1990s, but Rabat broke them off at the start of the second Palestinian intifada (uprising) in 2000.

Cooperation has expanded swiftly since ties were re-established as part of the US-brokered Abraham Accords in late 2020, started by the UAE.

The deal was slammed by much of the Arab World, who saw it as a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.

National carrier Royal Air Maroc is expected to start direct flights between Casablanca and Tel Aviv on 13 March.

Morocco reopened its borders earlier this month after shutting them in November due to the coronavirus, and is hoping for a large influx of Israeli tourists.