For the first time, the Moroccan anthem and flag will be displayed at the Knesset: H.E. Enaam Mayara, the Speaker of the Moroccan House of Councilors, has officially announced that he will accept a personal invitation from Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana (Likud) and will make an official visit to the Knesset at the end of the week (Thursday, September 7th).
Mayara will be the first Moroccan official and one of the few Muslim leaders ever to set foot in the Knesset, where he will be received with a red carpet and a ceremonial guard of honor in accordance with all state protocols.
This visit is significant and unprecedented for several reasons. Firstly, it marks the first-ever bilateral visit between a Speaker of the Knesset and a high-ranking Moroccan official at the Knesset. Secondly, it will be the first formal meeting in Israel involving senior officials from both countries since Israel's recognition of Western Sahara.
The Knesset highlighted that this groundbreaking visit from the Speaker of the Moroccan House of Councilors reciprocates the historic visit made by Speaker of the Knesset Ohana to Morocco three months ago. Ohana was the first-ever Speaker of the Knesset to be invited for a state visit to a Muslim country, and specifically to the Moroccan House of Representatives and House of Councilors.
After receiving an official welcome, the President of the House of Councilors will participate in a ceremony featuring a festive guard of honor, the raising of the Moroccan flag, and the playing of the Cherifian (Moroccan) anthem for the first time ever in the Knesset, performed by the Israel Police Band.
Speaker Mayara will have the honor of signing the Knesset guestbook in a special ceremony in the Chagall State Hall. Immediately following the official ceremonies, Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana and the Moroccan delegation are expected to hold a working meeting, after which they are expected to make a joint statement to the media.
Speaker of the Knesset Amir Ohana said: "This is a precedent-setting visit that signals a new era in Israel–Morocco relations. Once, the idea of a high-ranking Moroccan official coming on a state visit to Israel was a distant dream. Today, it's a hopeful and promising reality that underscores the potential for broadening the scope of peace in the Middle East."
"I'm thrilled to welcome and congratulate my friend, President of the House of Councilors, Enam Maayara, for making this landmark visit to the Knesset. What better way to express the warm ties between our nations than through fostering strong connections between their parliaments?"
President of the House of Councilors also holds the title of President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM). Members of this assembly, who represent parliaments from across the Mediterranean, will join him on his regional tour. Following a joint press conference with President Mayara, Speaker Ohana is slated to convene with representatives from PAM member states in the Knesset's Jerusalem Hall.
Established in 2005 and enjoying special status within the UN, this organization concentrates on regional partnerships, tackling a variety of issues ranging from security and economics to human rights and migration and more.