What was the relationship between Israel and King Hassan II of Morocco?

Morocco is possibly Israel's closest ally in the Arab world.

King Hassan II has taken the initiative many times, behind the scenes, in encouraging the Arab-Israeli peace talks. In the 1970's and 1980's Hassan encouraged a relationship with the Israelis on a variety of levels. Delegations of experts from the two countries had a number of important meetings, both secret and in view of the public and media, on subjects relevant to both; things such as security, diplomacy,journalism , transportation, and agriculture.

On July 22 and 23, 1986, Israeli Prime Minister Peres, in an historic event, met King Hassan at the king's palace in Ifrane, the first such meeting since the 1970's.

At the end of the meeting it was known that Peres refused King Hassan's plea to commit himself to a withdrawal from the territories which Israel had captured in Six-Day War of 1967.

The day after this unsuccessful meeting, Syria halted diplomatic relations with Morocco.

In 1994, an Israeli mission, a sort of 'semi-embassy' was founded in Morocco and In May 1995, Hassan liased peace talks that took place between Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat.

When he passed away in 1999, the Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Ehud Barak went to Rabat for King Hassan's burial, and it was televised over Israeli TV.