Morocco deepens military and trade ties with Israel—even hosting units accused of Gaza war crimes—despite nationwide protests against the regime’s complicity in the genocide.
Not only has Morocco continually worked to supply the Israeli military, causing widespread protests and strikes. Rabat even invited Israeli soldiers, who carried out one of the most high-profile massacres of ambulance drivers in Gaza, to conduct joint training drills.
Between April 14 and May 23, some 40 nations participated in the African Lion 2025 military exercises, a series of those drills took place between the Israeli and Moroccan armed forces. Videos began emerging online, showing the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces training alongside Israeli ground forces.
It revealed that the Moroccan military was working on drills designed to achieve proficiency in jointly carrying out tunnel maneuvers, using unmanned machines in order to penetrate target zones, similar to the kinds of operations Israel has carried out inside the Gaza Strip.
But the scandal went much further. The Israeli unit that was invited to participate in the joint drills by the leadership in Rabat was ‘Sayaret Golani’ of the Golani Brigades. The specific unit that was revealed to have carried out the infamous deliberate massacre of 15 Palestinian medics, UN workers, and ambulance drivers just two months prior.
This incident sparked international outrage and condemnation after video and eyewitness testimonies revealed the scope of the criminality involved in the brutal massacre. Not only were the bodies of the 15 Palestinians buried in a mass grave by Sayaret Golani, but the ambulances were also destroyed and buried in an attempt to cover up the blatant war crime. According to audio analysis from a leaked video of the incident, some of the victims were shot dead from only a dozen meters away.
These details, all being public knowledge, and as well as the fact that no one was punished for the massacre, the unit was still invited to Agadir, Morocco, to gain more experience in executing underground combat operations.
Rabat’s decision follows another decision in February to strengthen ties with the Israeli military industrial complex, making it a top weapons partner to replace French companies following a dispute. The Israeli company that Morocco chose as its main defence partner was Elbit Systems, from which it began acquiring 36 Atmos 2,000 artillery systems.
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While many other nations have backed off, at least publicly, from Israel since the beginning of the Gaza genocide, Morocco has been increasing trade and strengthening military ties. In 2024, Israeli imports from Morocco grew to $141.55 million, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.
In early May, the Israeli government approved a new maritime transport deal with their Moroccan partners, which Israel’s Transport Minister Miri Regev praised for its potential to deepen trade ties, boosting profits for both nations. “We are committed to continuing to develop ties between our countries while removing barriers and promoting cooperation in all areas, especially in transportation and ports,” she added.
As this deal was being sealed, the Moroccan public began launching a wave of pro-Palestine protests across the nation that called upon the regime to end normalisation with Israel. In mid-April, the Union of Port Workers, affiliated with the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT), publicly declared a strike. They also called upon workers at the Port of Casablanca to refuse to unload or service the Nexoe Maersk vessel, which evidence suggested was transporting components for Israeli F-35 fighter jets.
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“Anyone facilitating this ship’s passage is, without question, a direct accomplice in the genocidal war against the Palestinian people,” the Union of Port Workers declared. This came alongside mass demonstrations and a proclamation by a number of Islamic groups in Morocco that forbade the vessel carrying F-35 components from docking. The Al-Adl Wal Ihssan movement asserted that servicing or docking the ship would represent “a great betrayal of the Muslim community.”
The population of Morocco is uniformly pro-Palestinian, and the majority oppose the 2020 normalisation deal that their Monarch, Muḥammad VI, agreed to. Yet, as a country under autocracy, the people have little say in their government collaborating with Israel to enable the genocide in Gaza, unless they decide to launch a mass insurrection to overthrow it.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Robert Inlakesh is a journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker. He focuses on the Middle East, specializing in Palestine. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle.
This “king”, like many other Arab “rulers”, is merely a puppet in the hands of zionists. They had their “Approved” stamped on his butt as he kowtowed before them. Otherwise, he would have been ousted from power like Egypt’s Morsy.
Oh I see, the “heroic” Golani Brigades FLED to Morocco, posing and flex far, far, away from the Resistance. Grr. Fierce. Under Armor and Depends … by Elbit!
Excellent coverage of context and updated inside news which would not normally receive through generally bias news propoganda Excellent Work on Middle East helpful to know to understand insightful perspectives to understanding International Gkobal politics!
Thank You – Keep up this excellent work
THESE ZIONIST MUSLIM LEADERS WILL SOON FACE THE WRATH OF ALLAH SWT
Zionist and Muslim does not go together. One can either be a Muslim or zionist, not both. These rulers definitely chose the latter.