Israeli deputy FM set for Morocco visit despite Gaza tensions

Israel’s newly appointed Deputy Foreign Minister Michel Buskila is expected to visit Morocco in the coming weeks, according to the pro-Moroccan Yabiladi and Hespress on July 17th.

If the visit takes place, it would be the first by a senior Israeli official since the outbreak of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023.

Israel’s i24NEWS channel’s announcement did not specify dates or an agenda, mentioning that Israel often delays announcing official visits until officials arrive.

This announcement follows Buskila’s appointment as deputy to Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, succeeding Sharren Haskel, who resigned in protest against legislation expanding exemptions from military service for many Haredi Jewish men.

According to Hespress, Buskila’s appointment indicates he may be responsible for North African affairs at the ministry.

Buskila is also deputy speaker of the Knesset, serves on its Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee and chairs a foreign policy and media subcommittee.

Since normalising relations under the US-brokered Abraham Accords in 2020, Morocco and Israel have made considerable progress in sectors such as the economy, investment, tourism, security, and defence.

Both countries agreed to reopen liaison offices, launch direct flights and work towards establishing full embassies.

In November 2021, Morocco and Israel signed a defence pact, and Israel appointed a defence attaché to Rabat in 2023 as the two countries expanded their security ties.

However, these advancements have slowed since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Morocco has expressed its support for Palestinians through various international platforms, permitted solidarity marches, and provided humanitarian aid to Gazans.

According to AP, tens of thousands of Moroccans have protested in support of Palestinians since the Gaza conflict started, calling for Morocco to end normalisation with Israel.

Despite the slowdown in public diplomacy since 2023, defence cooperation established in 2020 has continued.

In July 2024, Le Desk and Le 360 reported that Morocco acquired an Ofek 13 spy satellite from Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) for approximately $1 billion.

Despite official bilateral engagement having largely stalled, Israeli airline Arkia has announced it will resume direct flights between Tel Aviv and Marrakech, indicating a potential resumption of cooperation.

The flights, which have been on hold for almost three years, will now run twice weekly.