Morocco and Israel... a defense memorandum of understanding that outlines the features of the future
A spokesman for the Israeli Defense Ministry said that his country and Morocco signed a defense memorandum of understanding in Rabat, on Wednesday, which paves the way for military sales and military cooperation between them after the two countries upgraded their diplomatic relations last year.
The memorandum was signed during the visit of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to Morocco.
Gantz is scheduled to hold talks with Abdel Latif Loudi, Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister in charge of the National Defense Administration, and other officials.
The purpose of the visit
This visit aims to "lay the foundation stone for establishing future security relations between Israel and Morocco," according to what "AFP" quoted an Israeli official as saying.
This is the first time that the Israeli Defense Minister is on an official visit to Morocco, since the resumption of bilateral relations between Rabat and Tel Aviv about a year ago.
Last December, Morocco and Israel agreed to resume bilateral contacts and diplomatic relations between the two countries, including opening diplomatic representations in Rabat and Tel Aviv, in addition to launching direct airlines and establishing economic relations.
Strengthening military cooperation
The visit of the Israeli Defense Minister to Morocco, which was described by Israeli media as "historic", is of great importance, and according to observers, it would define the features of security cooperation between Rabat and Tel Aviv, and lay the foundation stone for defense cooperation between the two countries.
Moroccan expert on military and security affairs, Mohamed Choucair, says that this visit falls within the framework of downloading the agreement signed between Morocco and Israel last year, which included cooperation in several sectors, including the military sector.
Choucair added in an interview with "Sky News Arabia", "This visit will contribute to strengthening the cooperation that has existed for years between the intelligence services in the two countries, especially with the high professionalism that characterizes the work of the Moroccan apparatus, and its effective contribution to dismantling terrorist cells inside the Kingdom, and curbing curb it in a number of European countries.
The spokesman stresses the importance of this visit, which is the first of its kind by an Israeli defense minister to Morocco, in order to strengthen cooperation between the two countries in the military field, and points to the Israeli development at the level of military technology, especially with regard to defense systems and the drone industry.
https://www.skynewsarabia.com/middle-east/1481652-المغرب-وإسرائيل-مذكرة-تفاهم-دفاعية-ترسم-ملامح-المستقبل
The signed agreements concern the following areas:
intelligence
cyber war
military industry
joint exercises
Protection of technical information
fight against terrorism
IDF officers visiting Morocco in uniform, from left, Colonel Noam Arbeli, Brigadier General. General Yaki Dolf and Lieutenant-Colonel Netanel Kula in front of the tomb of Moroccan King Mohammed V in Rabat, November 24, 2021 (Ministry of Defense)
Two of them are of Moroccan descent - the Minister's Military Secretary, Brigadier General Yaki Dolf and Lieutenant-Colonel Netanel Kula, both of whom were born in Morocco, and Colonel Noam Arbeli, whose mother was born in Morocco.
According to Monte Carlo information, after signing the defense memorandum of understanding, it is expected that Gantz will meet with General Dokor Darmy, Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces, Commander of the Southern Region, in a special military reception, and at the end of the meeting between the two sides, Gantz will meet with senior security officials in the country. headed by the Director of Foreign Intelligence, Yassin Al-Mansoori, and all the senior leaders of the General Staff.
A Defense Ministry official said that while Israel maintains close security ties with Jordan and Egypt, which which it also has peace deals, it does not have memoranda of understanding with them, making the deal with Morocco “
unprecedented.”
Officially, the agreement includes the transfer of technology and the military industry..
Currently, the Israeli defense industries have become fully available to Morocco according to the signed agreement, especially after the signing of the Technical Information Protection Agreement. These agreements were the only administrative obstacle to starting work on a huge military deal that will upset all balances regarding specific game changer weapons.
A Moroccan economic delegation heads to Israel
Chakib El Alj, President of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises, will head from December 12 to 15, a Moroccan economic mission to Tel Aviv; On the sidelines of the launch of the new air route linking Casablanca and Tel Aviv. The Moroccan economic mission includes various sectors of common interest such as tourism, industry, agriculture, technology and innovation, in addition to education, health and renewable energies