Morocco and Israel continue to get closer

Israel and Morocco strengthen military ties. Israel’s army chief Aviv Kohavi’s who arrived in Morocco on Monday met with the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces, Lieutenant General Belkhir El Farouk, an Israeli statement confirmed.

Meanwhile, a small group of Moroccans protested in front of the parliament in Rabat against Aviv Kochavi’s visit to the kingdom. They denounced the atrocities undertaken by Israel including the recent killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.

Morocco had cut relations with Israel in 2000 following the outbreak of the second Palestinian intifada, but re-established ties two decades later in a deal that saw Washington recognise Rabat’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara.

Since then, a steady stream of Moroccan and Israeli officials have visited each others’ countries and signed cooperation deals in various fields.