Morocco to collaborate with Israeli companies to build satellite

Morocco’s latest collaboration with Israel will likely result in the government being scrutinised by an already angry Pro-Palestinian population.  

French weekly financial newspaper La Tribune reported that the country intends to build a new surveillance satellite in cooperation with Israeli companies. Rabat has yet to confirm the plans. 

La Tribune states on December 5 that, “According to many sources, Morocco chose an Israeli group, possibly Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), at the end of the summer to provide it with a new surveillance satellite, intended to replace Mohammed VI-A satellite launched in 2017,” 

The IAI is an aviation manufacturer, state-owned by the Israeli government. The company produces aerial and astronautic systems for  military as well as civilian usage. 

The previous satellite in Morocco was built by a French manufacturers (Thales Alenia Space, and Airbus) with the purpose of establishing more reliable surveillance at the kingdom’s borders and coastlines with the objective of effectively managing natural disasters. Notably, a 500 million Euro contract was signed between the two countries back in 2013. 

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Morocco suffered its deadliest natural disaster in recent history in September of this year. An earthquake near Marrakech killed around 3,000 people and put the country in financial turmoil, following souring inflation post covid. 

Rabat refused aid from France as the pair have had frosty relations for various years particularly since Emmanuel Macron, who is on his second term in office, became President back in 2017. La Tribune speculated that this was why they chose to collaborate with Israeli companies thus seemingly sticking two fingers up at France. 

Although anti-Western sentiment amongst the Moroccan population is rife, particularly against the US and France, a cooperation with Israel may further enflame tensions. 

As the crisis in Gaza continues following the collapse of a partial ceasefire, mass gatherings in support of the Palestinian cause across key Moroccan cities have occurred since October 7. 

La Tribune