Morocco-Israel: Agreement on visa exemption for diplomats and officials

Moroccan diplomats and officials will no longer need a visa to travel to Israel. A visa waiver agreement has just been signed between Israel and Morocco, two countries that have recently restored their diplomatic relations and have worked to nurture their strategic partnership in several areas.

Tel Aviv and Rabat continue their multidimensional cooperation and have taken a new step in the freedom of movement of people. After inaugurating the very first direct line between the two countries on March 13 via a Royal Air Maroc (RAM) plane departing from Casablanca to Tel Aviv, the next step was to exempt holders of diplomatic and official passports from two countries of the need to obtain a visa.

“I am pleased to inform you that an agreement has been signed between the State of Israel and the Kingdom of Morocco regarding visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports”, wrote on Twitter, David Govrin, head of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat.

Morocco and Israel have signed an agreement to this effect, according to the Israeli diplomat, it “entered into force at the end of last month”, i.e. in March, the month coinciding with the first direct flight from Casablanca to Tel Aviv via the national airline.

Morocco and Israel restored diplomatic relations in December 2020, and plan to strengthen their long-standing partnership. Since then, several visits by Moroccan and Israeli officials have taken place, notably the head of Israeli diplomacy Yair Lapid and the Minister of Defense, Benny Gantz.

Several bilateral agreements have also been signed, notably on tourism, the economy and defence.

“Before I arrived, my expectations were at a certain level,” David Govrin told the Israeli news site Jewish Insider. “After I arrived, however, I noticed the reality was way beyond that. There is so much excitement and people here are very excited and eager to visit Israel,” he added.

The new consular section, which did not exist before the arrival of the ambassador, received countless requests and requests from Moroccans wishing to visit Israel, the Israeli media reported.