Israel and Morocco have signed a landmark defence agreement almost a year after they normalised ties. The agreement, which lays the foundation for intelligence sharing and arms sales, was condemned by pro-Palestinian protestors in Rabat, who called the deal a “betrayal.”
First day in Morocco:
— בני גנץ - Benny Gantz (@gantzbe) November 24, 2021
✅ Signed a defense MOU
✅ Met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs
✅ Met with the Minister Delegate in Charge of National Defense
✅ Met with the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces
✅ Visited the Mausoleum
Thank you to our gracious hosts! pic.twitter.com/w0xbF6s928
Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz met with his Moroccan counterpart Abdellatif Loudiyi in Rabat on Wednesday, as part of his two-day tour of the North African country, and signed a defence memorandum of understanding (MoU). The MoU formalises defence ties between the two countries and makes it easier for Israel to sell arms to Morocco.
The MoU is also the first such agreement between Israel and an Arab country, signalling growing ties between Israel and the Arab world. Gantz’s trip is also the first by an Israeli defence minister to an Arab country. Gantz also met Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and the country’s military chief of staff.
The agreement will allow Israel to cooperate with Morocco on exercises, information-sharing, and military assistance. Zohar Palti, head of the Israeli Defence Ministry’s Political-Miltary Bureau, told reporters on Wednesday that “this is an agreement that will allow us to assist them with whatever they need from us” and at the same time secure “our own interests.”
Also Read: Are the Normalisation Deals With Israel Truly Aimed at Securing Peace in the Middle East?
Palti noted that the MoU will enhance both countries’ cooperation against terrorism as it establishes a direct link between their defence ministries and militaries. Previously, communication between Israel and Morocco was largely covert in nature and existed only between their intelligence agencies.
A statement by Israel’s Defence Ministry called the signing of the MoU “historic” and said it “establishes a foundation that will support any future cooperation.” =It stressed that the cooperation between Israel and Morocco is key to “maintaining regional peace and stability” and in this respect, raised the need “to further expand normalisation and peace accords with new partners.”
However, several pro-Palestinian protestors in Rabat demonstrated against Gantz’s visit and the signing of the agreement. Activists called the visit a “mistake” and a “betrayal” by Morocco of the Palestinian cause. “He [Gantz] is a war criminal who should be prosecuted, his place is not in our country,” one of the activists told reporters on Wednesday.
Informal ties between Morocco and Israel existed during the 1990s; however, following the mass uprising of Palestinians in 2000, also known as the Second Intifada, Morocco severed relations with Israel. Despite this, Israel and Morocco have shared strong cultural ties. Almost half a million Israelis claim Moroccan heritage and over 200,000 Moroccan Jews have emigrated to Israel following its establishment in 1948.
Morocco formally recognised Israel in December 2020 as part of the landmark Abraham Accords, which were also signed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan.