Morocco king nixes Pompeo meeting in evasion of Israel-related talks: report

The meeting between Morocco's King Mohammed VI and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was canceled in evasion of attempts to press the kingdom to develop diplomatic relations with Israel, A-Sharq Al-Awsat reported Friday morning.

While the official reason for canceling the meeting was not disclosed, Pompeo reportedly intended to raise the resumption of diplomatic relations with Jerusalem, which was terminated in the early 2000s. 

But an unnamed US State Department official suggested it was a PR stunt for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he seeks to prolong his reign amid corruption charges and a political deadlock that could soon see the Jewish state hold a third consecutive election in the course of one year. 

“It wasn’t a topic of discussion,” the official said in a briefing to reporters of the question of normalizing ties between the nations. “It struck me as just another Israeli leak to the press of their own issue. But it was coincident with our trip, but it wasn’t on our agenda."

Pompeo was reportedly meant to have an audience with the Moroccan king but the meeting was apparently nixed after the secretary decided to extend his visit to Lisbon to meet Netanyahu.

While Morocco has unofficially welcomed Israeli visitors and is home to some 3,000, political relations have remained cold, with King Mohammed VI reportedly canceling participation in a West African summit in 2017 to avoid meeting Netanyahu.