Growing military ties between Morocco and Israel following the end of MINURSO mission

Morocco has hosted the Secretary General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, Amir Baram, during an official visit carried out under the direct instructions of King Mohammed VI. The visit included meetings with the Minister Delegate for National Defense, Abdelatif Loudiyi, and the Inspector General of the Royal Armed Forces, Ahmed Berrid, focusing on the procurement of Israeli defense technology. This diplomatic event follows the expiration of the UN mission in Western Sahara (MINURSO) on October 31. This is the first publicly acknowledged bilateral visit since the start of the conflict in Gaza. Since the normalization of ties in December 2020, Morocco and Israel have significantly expanded their military cooperation, even as concerns persist over the potential for renewed armed clashes following the withdrawal of the UN mission.