IOF training in Morocco alongside Moroccan army

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Jun 2023 10:51

The Israeli occupation forces and the Moroccan army are training together as part of the African Lion exercises held by the United States.

Observers from Europe, Africa, and Asia use their phones to record a large scale drill as they attend the African Lion military exercise, in Tantan, south of Agadir, Morocco, June 18, 2021 (AP)

The Israeli occupation forces are training in Morocco alongside the Moroccan armed forces, making for a precedent, as the IOF have never trained in an Arab Muslim country, Israeli occupation forces spokesperson Avichay Adraee said Tuesday.

The training is part of the African Lion international military drills held by the United States Command for Africa (AFRICOM) and will see 12 Israeli soldiers participating.

One military source reported that the affair went down in light of a senior IOF delegation going to Morocco, saying: "We laid the foundations there for a close military relationship between our two armies," the Israeli i24News website reported.

The IOF soldiers will be participating in the drills alongside US, Moroccan, and international soldiers, namely from 16 other countries.

"The soldiers were warmly welcomed. I would even say exceptionally positively if we compare to the reception generally reserved for other participants in this type of exercise," one military source told the Israeli website.

The source also claimed that the Moroccan soldiers would learn from the IOF and share experiences with them, highlighting that there were common challenges facing both the Israelis and the Moroccans, such as "the protection of borders, the fight against terrorism, and the involvement of Iran and its proxies to destabilize the region."

The official also highlighted that the Palestinian cause was not at the center of discussions between "Tel Aviv" and Rabat.

It is said that the IOF is participating in the exercises with its Golani Brigade, an infantry unit that operates in the Northern Command. The official then explained the participation of this unit in particular by saying that "Moroccan soldiers know the history of the Golani division as well as its experience, know-how, and expertise. It is ultimately one of the elite units of the infantry corps."

This comes after numerous Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, normalized ties with the Israeli occupation.

The normalization agreements, known as the "Abraham Accords", saw the establishment of embassy relations between the aforementioned Arab states and the Israeli occupation and that of direct flights, as well as the lifting of banks on tourist trips and official visits between "Tel Aviv" and the UAE, Morocco, and Bahrain.

The United Arab Emirates was one of the first Arab states to normalize ties with the Israeli occupation, which prompted international condemnations against the regime in Abu Dhabi.

Israeli media said in July 2022 that military experts went to Morocco to help Rabat against the Polisario Front fighting for the independence of Western Sahara.

Haaretz revealed all the weapons systems "Israel" sold to Morocco over the past few years, from drones to cyberweapons:

IAI Heron and IAI Harop UAVs

In 2014, Morocco signed a $50 million deal for three IAI Heron UAVs from the Israel Aerospace Industries. The drones entered service in the Moroccan army several years ago and were reportedly intended for use against the Polisario Front.

Later on, in November 2021, the Israeli occupation sold an IAI Harop UAV to Morocco. Contrary to all the other unmanned aerial vehicles developed to return to base, the Harop is a loitering munition that self-destructs into its targets.

The sale followed a joint security understandings agreement between Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz and Moroccan Defense Minister Abd Al-Latif Lodi. The agreement formalized security ties between "Tel Aviv" and Rabat.

Air defense system

The Israel Aerospace Industries was reported as intending to provide Morocco with an integrated air defense system against a wide variety of air threats, such as helicopters, fighter jets, UAVs, and cruise missiles.

"The Gulf is interested in this defense system within the framework of a regional alliance with Israel," Haaretz said.

Security cooperation

Menadefense published in 2018 footage from a police parade in Morocco that showed policemen armed with the Israeli X95 Tavor, a 9mm submachine gun.

Espionage

Rabat and "Tel Aviv" have also been found to be cooperating with the Israeli occupation in the field of espionage and cyberwarfare.

Despite the normalization efforts, the Israeli occupation is failing to garner popular support in Morocco, with support for it being only within the official spheres.

Moroccans, the people of a state whose regime normalized ties with the occupation, took to the streets in early February to demonstrate against the regime's normalization of ties with the Israeli occupation, as well as to show their solidarity with the Palestinian people.

The demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and pictures of the martyrs of the Jenin massacre. They also raised slogans in their demonstrations calling for the criminalization of normalization, affirming that the Palestinian cause has been "entrusted to us" and that normalization is a betrayal of that trust. Furthermore, the demonstrators chanted for the freedom of the Palestinian land.

The demonstration was called for by the "Moroccan Front for Supporting Palestine and Against Normalization" and the "National Action Group for Palestine", which are known for their continued and open defense of the Palestinian cause in Morocco.