Israeli military delegation visits Morocco to open permanent defence attaché office

Israel’s Ministry of Defence announced Tuesday that a military delegation is visiting Morocco to inaugurate a permanent office for its defence attaché in Rabat, as part of efforts to strengthen military and security cooperation between the two countries.

The delegation is headed by Israeli Defence Ministry Director-General Amir Baram and includes military representatives, according to a ministry statement.

The ministry said the delegation held meetings with Moroccan officials on behalf of Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz.

During the visit, Baram is scheduled to inaugurate the permanent headquarters of the Israeli defence attaché’s office in Rabat, headed by Colonel Sharon Itach, Israel’s first permanent defence attaché to Morocco.

According to the statement, the delegation met senior Moroccan defence officials, including the Minister-Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of the Administration of National Defence and the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces.

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The Israeli delegation also held meetings with representatives of the Moroccan Royal Palace and intelligence services.

The ministry highlighted the resumption of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel in 2020 and the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in November 2021.

It said bilateral security cooperation has experienced “notable growth” since then, continuing over the past three years despite Israel’s military genocide in the Gaza Strip.

The ministry described Israel’s defence industry as “highly regarded in Morocco,” noting that most bilateral defence transactions are conducted through government-to-government agreements overseen by the Israeli Ministry of Defence.

It added that Israeli defence companies are contributing to the development of Morocco’s domestic defence industry through joint ventures and industrial offset agreements.

The statement also described relations between the Moroccan Armed Forces and the Israeli military as “close,” citing joint military exercises across several fields.

The visit marks a further step in institutionalising military cooperation between Israel and Morocco following the normalisation of diplomatic relations in 2020.

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