Diplomatic Incident With Morocco

Morocco expressed an official protest against Israel after Minister Ayoob Kara met with the Western Sahara president.

Arutz Sheva
Staff, 21/06/17 22:49


Morocco lodged an official protest with Israel over a meeting held between Communications Minister Ayoob Kara and the president of Western Sahara, Morocco's greatest enemy.

The Foreign Ministry also reported that Kara had initiated greeting the Western Sahara ruler during the inauguration of the President of Ecuador without prior permission from prime minister Netanyahu and claimed Kara discussed Israeli ties with Saudia Arabia during the meeting.

Kara responded by saying "I regret the constant attempts to tarnish my name as a representative of the State of Israel endeavoring to promote peace with the Arab world. I met the president of Western Sahara at the inauguration of the president of Ecuador, together with the Israeli ambassador to Ecuador who was present at the event."

"Meeting? There was a normal handshake with the Western Saharan president who was with tens of other dignitaries from around the world. I said to him as I did to other leaders that Israel will be happy to initiate peace with any country in the world, as the Israeli ambassador looked on," added the Minister.

Minister Kara, a Druze Israeli who was wounded in the IDF, finds it easy to speak to Arab dignitaries because of his facility with their language.