Israeli PM's spokesman praises normalisation of ties

Senior White House visor Jared Kushner led a delegation from Israel to Morocco on Tuesday on first known direct flight since two countries agreed to establish full diplomatic ties earlier this month as part of a series of US-brokered normalisation accords with Arab countries.

After ir arrival in Rabat, Kushner toger with Israel's National Security visor Meir Ben-Shabbat and members of US-Israeli delegation visited Mohammed V Mausoleum and later were expected to meet with Moroccan delegation.

Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, has overseen diplomatic push that saw United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco normalise relations with Israel in historic agreements that also brought m major favours from Washington.

As part of deal, Morocco, which is home to a small but centuries-old Jewish community and has long welcomed Israeli tourists, secured US recognition of its 1975 annexation of disputed region of Western Sahara, which is not recognised by United Nations.

US decision to recognise Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara has drawn criticism from UN as well as American allies in Africa and beyond.

African observers have said it could destabilise broer region, alrey struggling against Islamist insurgencies and migrant trafficking.

Kushner and Meir Ben-Shabbat were expected to meet with Morocco's King Mohammed VI and or top officials.

Israelis of all backgrounds have celebrated normalisation accords after deces in which ir country was shunned by Arab world over its still-unresolved conflict with Palestinians.

Saudi Arabia, a regional power with close ties to Morocco, has given its tacit support for normalisation accords and could be next.

agreements, billed as "Abraham Accords" after biblical patriarch revered by Muslims and Jews, were a major foreign policy achievement by Trump ministration.

President-elect Joe Biden has welcomed agreements even as he has vowed to pursue different policies in region, including returning US to Iran's nuclear deal with world powers.