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Morocco’s parliament forms ‘Moroccan-Israeli Friendship’ group

May 18, 2023

By Basma El Atti

In its latest moves to strengthen normalisation with Tel Aviv, the Moroccan parliament announced the formation of a "Moroccan-Israeli friendship" group.

"The group's formation comes within the framework of the Moroccan parliament's diplomacy with all countries that have relations with the Kingdom," a parliamentary source told The New Arab, without providing further details.

The Moroccan parliament hosts over 150 friendship groups.

The announcement came a few days after the visit of Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat to Morocco where he attended the agriculture festival in the city of Meknes along with Tel Aviv's newly-appointed envoy to Rabat Shai Cohen.

The House of Representatives website shows that the new body will host members from the majority ruling parties Istiqlal Party and Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM).

Also, opposition left-wing parties Socialist Union of Popular Forces (USFP) and Party of Progress and Socialism (PPS) have submitted members

In 2013, these parties presented two bills penalising any attempt at normalisation with Israel, with prison sentences and fines against offenders. The bills were not passed.

Most of the political parties in the country have switched to a normalisation-friendly policy since Rabat joined the Abraham Accords late in 2020.

"Abraham Accords Caucus", a similar body in the Israeli Knesset, was established in 2021. 

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