Israel: El Al suspends flights to Morocco due to ‘decrease in demand’

Israel’s flagship airline El Al announced yesterday that it will no longer be operating flights to Marrakech in Morocco or Ireland’s capital Dublin due to low demand amid the occupation state’s genocidal war against the Palestinians in Gaza.

“From the beginning of April 2024 and throughout the next summer season, we will not be resuming our routes to Dublin, Ireland, and Marrakech, Morocco, due to the current situation and the significant drop in demand,” explained El Al. “This will allow the addition of hundreds of flights to destinations already offered and in demand.”

Direct flights between Tel Aviv and Marrakech were launched in July 2021, about seven months after the two countries resumed diplomatic relations, as part of the US-brokered normalisation agreement called the Abraham Accords.

Looks like Irish and Moroccans don't fancy travelling genocide class any longer. Hopefully Israel airline cancels more flights elsewhere…https://t.co/WjWzQ59POG

— Mick Hall (@MickHall_NZ) February 6, 2024

Despite the Moroccan government’s decision to normalise relations with Israel, there is widespread, popular support for the Palestinian cause in Morocco and a rejection of normalisation. Ireland also has a longstanding position of solidarity with Palestinian national liberation and relations have been particularly strained since Israel’s Gaza offensive began.

In early November, Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar condemned Israel’s attacks on the besieged, densely populated enclave as “something approaching revenge.” Varadkar also disclosed to reporters last week that Ireland is in talks with other EU members in order to review the EU-Israel Association Agreement on the basis that the agreement’s human rights clause has been violated by the occupation state.

El Al said recently that it has cancelled all flights to South Africa. The announcement came hours before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced its interim ruling on Israel’s offensive in Gaza. The republic filed the lawsuit against the occupation state for its “genocide acts” in Gaza.

READ: Morocco says ready to deliberate petition to halt normalisation with Israel