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. 

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.