Israeli President Shimon Peres has cancelled his planned visit to Rabat after the Moroccan monarch refused to schedule a meeting during the trip. King Mohammed VI declined to meet the Israeli head of state due to the current political circumstances related to the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

According to Radio Israel, the Royal Moroccan information bureau told the Israeli president's office that Mr. Peres won't be able to meet the King during his stay in the Kingdom for the World Economic Forum. The current impasse over illegal Israeli settlements is to blame, said the report. The Israeli government had intended to use the visit to try to pressure the King Mohammed to ease the Arab League's stance on tying direct negotiations to the issue of the settlements.