JOL

Moroccan Prime Minister Saad Dine El Otmani said his country rejects any normalization agreement with Israel, claiming it encourages violations of Palestinian rights, Israel’s Channel 12 has reported.

Otmani appears to have ended speculation in the media that Morocco would join the United Arab Emirates in recognizing Israel. Last month Israel and the UAE announced they would be establishing diplomatic relations, a move that was praised by several Arab countries including Bahrain and Oman.

“We refuse any normalization with the Zionist entity as it encourages the continued violation of the rights of the Palestinian people,” al-Othmani told his Islamic party PJD.

Israel and Morocco maintain low-level ties and Israeli citizens are allowed into that country, but official relations soured during the Palestinian intifada that started in 2000.

Moroccan Jews are one of the largest ethnic communities in Israel and the current Israeli government has 10 ministers who have Moroccan origins.