Israel has reportedly pushed the United States to open a consulate in Laayoune, a Moroccan official told Bloomberg. The report comes as Israeli media revealed that Benjamin Netanyahu pushed Washington to back Morocco on the Sahara issue.
In March 2019, Morocco repatriated eight of its nationals who had fought for ISIS in Syria. Since then, several families have urged the Moroccan authorities to repatriate of women and their children stuck in the region.
Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly pushed the United States to agree on a three-way agreement that would see Washington back Morocco on the Western Sahara issue and help Tel Aviv normalize ties with Rabat.
Morocco is ranked 56th in the Global Firepower military strength index for 2020. Ranked third in North Africa and seventh in the Arab World, the Kingdom had improved its rating in the annual report.