Normalising Ties: Israel starts direct route to Morocco

El Al airline’s first direct flight numbered LY 553 took off at 11:30 am local time from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport to Morocco’s southwest city of Marrakech.

The El Al flight lounge for flight LY553 was decorated with Moroccan flags, carpets, and other items.

The flight comes ahead of a prearranged visit by Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid to Morocco at the end of July.

On December 10, 2020, Israel and Morocco announced the resumption of diplomatic relations between them after they were suspended in 2002 following the second Palestinian intifada, making Morocco the fourth Arab country to normalize relations with Israel in 2020 after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Sudan.

The normalisation deals have since drawn widespread condemnations from Palestinians, who say the accords ignore their rights and do not serve the Palestinian cause.

The move came as the administration of former US President Donald Trump recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, a disputed and divided former Spanish colony.

Both airlines’ round trip tickets to Marrakesh cost around $500.

El Al operated the first direct commercial flight between Tel Aviv and Rabat in December 2020.

Morocco is home to North Africa’s largest Jewish community, which numbers around 3,000. Some 700,000 Jews of Moroccan origin live in Israel.