Moroccan finance minister endorses economic ties with Israel

Morocco’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Nadia Fettah Alaoui, endorsed the kingdom’s economic ties with Israel, according to a report by Yabiladi on October 17th.

The Finance Minister has visited Washington DC in the US to participate in the annual International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, but she made her comments at a panel in the Stimson Center; the event was organised by the North Africa Program.

When asked about Morocco’s increasing economic ties to Israel, Alaoui emphasised the importance of building “strong economic ties covering areas such as tourism, technology, and innovation.”

It was reported on October 13th, that Morocco hosted an Israeli drone test on behalf of Israel’s BlueBird Aero Systems; the drone was reportedly being tested against larger, more complex targets, such as armoured vehicles and tanks.

Additionally, Israeli defence contractor, Elbit Systems, is reportedly Morocco’s main weapons supplier, despite concerns over the company’s alleged complicity in human rights violations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Elbit Systems provides at least 85% of the drones used by the Israeli military during its war on Gaza, which the UN concluded was a genocide on September 16th.

Alaoui also told the panel: “I believe the pace of development has slowed in recent years, but the story of our economic relations remains strong and long-standing. We have much to learn, especially in the field of water desalination, a solution that has proven successful in Israel and provided many opportunities for farmers.”

It was reported on June 16th that Morocco plans to increase its investments in desalination plants. This is because years of drought have placed pressure on water resources, which have shrunk the nation’s cattle herd and fuelled inflation in food prices, along with unemployment.

Alaoui’s comments came despite it being reported on July 31st that Israeli settlers were sabotaging water infrastructure in an effort to displace Palestinians in the Occupied West Bank. These actions were reportedly part of a campaign to make life increasingly difficult for Palestinians, especially farmers who rely on water supplies for livestock and crop production.

Israeli strikes have also damaged key water systems in Lebanon, which left an estimated 150,000 people without water access and more than 30 villages without access to supply networks. Yemen has also had its water supply damaged by Israeli airstrikes, with damage to water, sanitation and medical facilities worsening disease outbreaks, including Cholera.

On February 20th, it was reported that 80% of Gaza’s water infrastructure had been damaged by Israel’s bombardment. Human Rights Watch published a report on December 19th, 2024, that accused Israel of committing acts of genocide by cutting off water, electricity and fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip.

Yabiladi, Maghrebi.org