For the first time since the signing of the Abraham Accords, an Israeli national pavilion has opened at a defence exhibition in Morocco, according to Al Jazeera and AFP reporting. The debut at the Marrakech Air Show highlights a deepening of ties between the two nations, bringing military contractors to the North African country.
According to Al Jazeera and AFP, Israel's Ministry of Defence announced its official participation in the Marrakesh Air Show 2026, which runs until Saturday at the Marrakech Royal Moroccan Air Force Base. The ministry stated that eight Israeli defence companies are exhibiting advanced technologies at the biennial event, which showcases civil and military aeronautics and space industries.
Al Jazeera reported that major Israeli defence industries, including Elbit Systems, IAI, and Rafael, are presenting solutions across air, land, sea, space, intelligence, cyber, and digital domains. Reuters images from the event captured the Israeli Defence Ministry stand at the exhibition.
Background
According to the source material, this public defence display is the latest development in increasing ties between the Arabic-speaking North African nation and Israel, which established diplomatic relations in 2020 under the US-backed Abraham Accords. Al Jazeera noted that last month, Israel and Morocco agreed to upgrade their diplomatic ties by elevating their respective missions to embassies and appointing ambassadors. This followed a meeting between their foreign ministers hosted by the US ambassador to the United Nations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. Both countries also agreed to expand air travel, reinstate direct flights, and plan high-level bilateral visits. Additionally, Al Jazeera reported that Morocco is one of five countries that have pledged to send troops to Gaza, under the US-backed International Stabilization Force (ISF) as part of US President Donald Trump’s so-called Board of Peace.
Why it matters
For international observers tracking global diplomacy, the expanding partnership between Morocco and Israel illustrates shifting geopolitical alliances within the region. As bilateral ties transition to embassy-level relations and joint defence exhibitions, the developments reflect broader realignment patterns influenced by international agreements and regional security frameworks.