Morocco’s Growing Military Ties with Israel: A Shift in Strategic Alliances
New Arms Deals and Military Cooperation Raise Questions about Morocco's Stance on the Palestinian Cause
Watan-Reports have revealed that Morocco has signed a deal to purchase 36 “Athos 2000” artillery pieces from Israel, making the occupation the third-largest arms supplier to Morocco. Israeli weapons now represent 11% of Morocco’s total military imports.
Although Morocco has not officially announced or denied the deal, the French newspaper La Tribune confirmed that the agreement was made with the Israeli company “Elbit Systems,” one of the most important military manufacturing companies in Israel.
This deal reflects Morocco’s new direction toward strengthening military cooperation with the occupation, gradually replacing traditional partners like France, following disputes with the French company “KNDS,” which previously supplied Morocco with “Caesar” artillery pieces that faced recurring technical issues, upsetting Rabat.
Morocco-Israel Military Cooperation: A Growing Strategic Partnership
This is not the first military cooperation between Morocco and Israel. Since the normalization agreement in 2020, relations between the two sides have seen a surge in military and security cooperation.
A deal for an Israeli drone factory in Morocco, run by the company “BlueBird Aero Systems,” was previously announced and is expected to begin operations soon. Morocco also signed a deal for the “Skylock Dome” anti-drone system in 2021, reflecting a determination to strengthen defense relations with the occupation.
The Moroccan-Israeli rapprochement in the military field coincides with rising regional tensions, especially with Algeria, as Morocco seeks to modernize its military arsenal. However, it is doing so through the Israeli occupation, which benefits from these deals in boosting its military economy and expanding its influence in the region.
Morocco’s Shifting Stance: A Strategic Military Alliance with Israel
Despite Morocco’s repeated official statements supporting the Palestinian cause, these deals raise questions about the contradiction between declared positions and actual practices. Morocco has not only bought weapons from Israel but was also one of the first Arab countries to offer indirect economic support to the occupation during the Gaza War, allowing the use of its ports for weapons transfers and opening its doors to Israeli companies to enhance their investments in the country.
These steps reflect Morocco’s shift from merely being a signatory of the normalization agreement to becoming a strategic partner of the occupation in the military field. This raises questions about the future of Moroccan-Israeli relations and the repercussions of this cooperation on Morocco’s traditional stance on the Palestinian cause.
The most important question remains: Will Morocco continue to strengthen its military partnership with Israel at the expense of its commitment to the Palestinian cause, or are these deals merely part of regional military balance strategies?
