The Israeli army announced on Monday the signing of a joint military action plan with Morocco for 2026, following the third meeting of the bilateral military committee held in Tel Aviv. The move reflects a further institutionalization of security cooperation between the two countries since the resumption of relations under the Abraham Accords.
According to Hebrew media, the meeting coincided with the fifth anniversary of the normalization of ties between Rabat and Tel Aviv and was led by Israel’s Planning Directorate and its international division, known as “Tevel.” Discussions included technical and professional working sessions, as well as field visits to Israeli military units, defense industries, and specialized directorates.
The Israeli military described the meeting as a “new and significant stage” in deepening security cooperation with Morocco, which it referred to as a “key partner in regional stability.” Such wording suggests a strategic dimension that goes beyond operational coordination, placing the partnership within a broader regional security framework encompassing North Africa and the western Mediterranean.
#هام بمرور خمس سنوات على الاتفاقيات الإبراهيمية: إسرائيل والمغرب يعمقان التعاون الأمني المشترك
انعقد الاجتماع الثالث للجنة العسكرية المشتركة (JMC) الإسرائيلية المغربية في تل أبيب بإشراف من هيئة التخطيط وهيئة العلاقات الخارجية في جيش الدفاع، واختتم هذا الأسبوع (الجمعة) بالتوقيع… pic.twitter.com/xBuUzSGoMg
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) January 5, 2026
The signing of the 2026 action plan follows a period of relative suspension in bilateral cooperation, triggered by Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, which led to a slowdown in engagement for more than two years. The current revival indicates, however, that military and security channels remained partially active behind the scenes, pending more favorable political conditions for their public reactivation.
Notably, this development coincides with a qualitative shift in the relationship, from procurement and coordination toward joint defense manufacturing on Moroccan soil. Israeli media recently reported that the company “BlueBird” has opened a production facility in the city of Ben Slimane dedicated to manufacturing “Spy-X” loitering munitions, marking the first such facility of its kind in North Africa.
Beyond production, the project reportedly includes technology transfer, training of Moroccan engineers and technicians, and the development of local operational and maintenance capabilities, with the gradual integration of these systems into Morocco’s national defense architecture.
This trajectory traces back to the visit of former Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to Morocco in November 2021, which resulted in the signing of a landmark security and defense memorandum of understanding—the first between Israel and an Arab country. Since then, cooperation has expanded across areas such as air defense, unmanned aerial systems, intelligence technologies, and strategic planning mechanisms.
Yet the conclusion of a military action plan extending to 2026 raises broader questions: how does this partnership align with Morocco’s pursuit of strategic autonomy? How are its political and societal sensitivities managed, particularly in light of regional developments related to the Palestinian issue? And what remains unspoken in the official narratives?
These questions remain open as Morocco–Israel military cooperation continues to evolve, gaining both depth and strategic significance within a rapidly shifting regional and international landscape.
