The first nonstop commercial flight from Israel to Morocco’s Marrakesh departed on 25 July, almost eight months after the two countries agreed to normalize relations.

According to the flight information board in the Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv, the plane of the ISRAIR airline departed to Marrakesh at 08:41 a.m. (05:41 GMT), and the El Al flight left for the same destination at 11:30 (08:30 GMT).

According to the Israeli Kan broadcaster, regular flights from Morocco to Israel will be launched in the future.

Last week, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said he planned to visit Morocco until the end of July after the launch of the direct flights.

Morocco has become the fourth country since last August to normalize ties with the Jewish state after the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan signed US-brokered pacts with Israel. The Israel–Morocco normalization agreement was announced on 10 December.