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Morocco denies mediating resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks

Xinhua, February 18, 2016 Adjust font size:

Morocco on Thursday denied reports that it was mediating between Israel and the Palestinians to resume the stalled peace talks.

"We are greatly surprised by statements concerning an alleged intermediation by the Kingdom to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks," the official Maghreb Arab Press (MAP) agency quoted Delegate Minister to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mbarka Bouaida, as saying.

Bouaida was apparently responding to recent Israeli media reports that King Mohammed VI had sent a Moroccan Jewish negotiator to Israel to mediate efforts to revive the peace talks.

She said Morocco has always supported any initiative that aims to contribute to settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but is not aware of the reported mediation efforts by Sam Benchetrit, an Israeli of Moroccan origin, who is the founder and chairman of the World Federation of Moroccan Jews.

"Benchetrit has undertaken this initiative in a strictly personal capacity. He has never been mandated by any Moroccan authority," she said. "He cannot claim any legitimacy to act on behalf of Morocco." Endit