Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

Morocco to buy $1bln spy satellite from 'Israel'

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 10 Jul 2024 23:32
3 Min Read

Morocco takes yet another step underlining its normalization with "Israel" as it supports it at a time when it is murdering Palestinians in Gaza.

Listen
  • x
  • Rachid Talbi Alami, Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives, right, signs a bilateral deal with his Israeli counterpart, Amir Ohana, during the latter's visit to Rabat, Morocco, June, 8, 2023 (AP)
    Rachid Talbi Alami, Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives, right, signs a bilateral deal with his Israeli counterpart, Amir Ohana, during the latter's visit to Rabat, Morocco, June, 8, 2023 (AP)

Morocco is planning to acquire a spy satellite from Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) for $1 billion, according to reports from Moroccan media on Wednesday.

IAI, owned by the Israeli government and known for producing some of the Israeli occupation's most advanced drones and missile defense systems, announced on Tuesday that it had entered into a $1 billion contract to supply one of its systems to an unspecified third party.

This information was disclosed in a regulatory filing in Tel Aviv, which also stated that the contract would be executed over a period of five years.

Moroccan news websites Le Desk and Le 360, citing Israeli sources in Rabat, revealed that the contract involves the supply of the Ofek 13 spy satellite. This satellite is set to replace two existing satellites from Airbus and Thales, enhancing Morocco's surveillance capabilities.

This acquisition follows the security pact agreed upon by the Israeli occupation and Morocco in 2021 following the normalization agreement between the two parties, which encompasses intelligence sharing, as well as cooperation in military industries and procurement. 

Related News

Norway wealth fund drops Caterpillar and five Israeli banks

West Bank sees escalating attacks by IOF, settlers

Unpopular friend

Despite the normalization agreement signed in 2020, relations between the parties are not particularly the best, most notably due to the unpopularity of the Israeli occupation within Moroccan society. 

To add to that, normalization between the Israeli occupation and Morocco has taken a severe hit in light of the unfolding genocide in Gaza, mostly due to "Israel" falling further out of favor among the Arab public, the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) revealed, citing a survey conducted by Arab Barometer.

The public opinion survey highlights a steep decline in popular support for normalization between the Israeli occupation and Arab countries, including Morocco. Support has dropped dramatically from 31% in 2022 to just 13%, reportedly due to the ongoing war on Gaza.

According to the survey, Moroccans typically describe the events in Gaza as a massacre (26%), a war (24%), genocide (14%), or mass killing (14%). Since October, nearly weekly protests have been organized in Morocco in support of Palestinians, often calling for the severance of Israeli-Moroccan relations.

This trend exacerbates the tension between Morocco's official policy of maintaining relations with the Israeli occupation, albeit discreetly, and the growing popular and political opposition.

While key aspects of Israeli-Moroccan relations remain unaffected by the war on Gaza, such as bilateral trade and security ties, other pivotal areas have been significantly impacted, including public diplomatic relations, official visits, and tourism.

  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation
  • Palestine
  • Occupied Palestine
  • Gaza
  • Morocco

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS