Moroccan head of House of Councilors cancels controversial trip to Israel after 'health emergency'

The head of Morocco's House of Councilors, Enaam Mayara, has cancelled his controversial visit to the Israeli Knesset after a health emergency, announced Rabat parliament. 

"Following an urgent health problem suffered by Mr Enaam Mayara, president of the House of Councilors of the Kingdom of Morocco, was subjected to in-depth examinations before treatment was administered", read a press release published in the House of Councilors' website late on Wednesday, 6 September.

On Sunday, Mayara, who is also head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM), embarked on an official tour to Jordan, Palestine and Israel.

Two days after he arrived in Amman, the Moroccan official was hospitalised, leading him to scrap a planned trip on Wednesday to the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah and Thursday to the Israeli Knesset.

Rabat's official statement did not further articulate Mayara's situation or the possibility of rescheduling the cancelled trip.

The trip would have marked the first visit of a North African leader to the Knesset and one of the most high-level visits by a foreign Muslim politician to the Tel Aviv legislative body.

"The ties between the countries are increasing, and the Moroccan senate president's visit was meant to be one of the highlights, but we are, of course, following after his health situation with concern and wish him a speedy recovery and full health," Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana was quoted by Israeli media on Wednesday.

Mayara, a member of the majority party of Independence (PI), was formally invited by Amir Ohana when he visited Rabat in June. 

Amir Ohana, an Israeli of Moroccan descent, became the first-ever head of the Knesset to visit the Moroccan Parliament, prompting several sit-ins around the North African Kingdom as anti-normalisation feelings remain vivid among the Moroccan society, even three years after the normalisation.

Late in 2020, Morocco's government agreed to normalise relations with Israel in exchange for US recognition of its sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

In July, Israel recognised Morocco's sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara - a move to accelerate Rabat and Tel Aviv's diplomatic normalisation process after being on hold for over two years.

The now-cancelled visit of Mayara has sparked a nationwide controversy, with several anti-normalisation activists vowing to take out to the streets to protest "the Moroccan state's persistence in delving into the quagmire of the comprehensive alliance with the Zionist entity."

"This visit comes at a time when this arrogant enemy (Israel) is leading a comprehensive attack on the Palestinian people," added the Moroccan Front to support Palestine and against the normalisation in a press release on 5 September.

A source from the organisation told the TNA that the members of the Front are set to protest in front of the Moroccan Parliament in Rabat at 6:30 pm (GMT+1) despite the cancellation of Mayara's visit.

"Even if Mayara's visit is cancelled, the big problem persists, which is normalising ties and mending economic and military ties with a criminal entity," a source from the Moroccan Front to support Palestine and against the normalisation told The New Arab.