Israel, Morocco Hold Talks

By JOHN LEICESTER, Associated Press
July 5, 2007

PARIS — The foreign ministers of Israel and Morocco held their first publicly disclosed talks in years yesterday, with the Palestinian Arab-Israeli conflict at the heart of the discussion.

In separate meetings, French officials pressed Israel to take the initiative in bolstering the moderate Palestinian Arab president, Mahmoud Abbas. The Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, confirmed that Israel would release 250 prisoners from Mr. Abbas's Fatah movement.

The Moroccan minister, Mohamed Benaissa, did not speak to reporters after meeting Ms. Livni but shook her hand for the cameras.

Morocco broke off ties with Israel after the start of Palestinian Arab-Israel fighting in 2000, accusing Israeli forces of "inhuman acts" against Palestinian Arab civilians. It closed the Israeli liaison bureau in Morocco and Morocco's liaison office in Tel Aviv.

But contacts have continued, largely behind the scenes.

Before relations soured, Morocco played an important behind-the-scenes role in the Middle East crisis under King Hassan II, who died in 1999.

About 500,000 Israelis, roughly 10% of the Jewish population, are immigrants from Morocco or their descendants.

In her remarks to reporters — she took no questions — Ms. Livni said Israel and moderate Arab nations including Morocco share common interests.

"We have the same concerns, we face the same threats, and so we want to see a process in place so we can move forward," she said.

Bloody street battles in the Gaza Strip ended with Islamic militants of Hamas seizing control last month of the tiny coastal territory from moderate Mr. Abbas's Fatah security forces.

The rout prompted Mr. Abbas to evict Hamas from the Hamas-Fatah coalition government. Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction; Mr. Abbas's Fatah movement seeks peace with the Jewish state.

Ms. Livni announced that Israel would shortly release prisoners to send a message to the Fatah government.

"Israel always keeps its promises," Ms. Livni told reporters. "But to pass a message to the Palestinians and show them there is a difference with terrorists ... we are going to free the 250 Fatah prisoners."

The French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, who met with Ms. Livni, said the time was ripe for a new momentum by Israel that could become "unstoppable."