Israel opens first-ever pavilion at Morocco defence show

SaveSharefacebookxwhatsapp-strokecopylinkAn Israeli Defence Ministry stand at the Marrakech Air Show in Marrakesh, Morocco, October 7, 2026 [Ahmed El Jechtimi/Reuters]By AFPPublished On 8 Oct 20268 Oct 2026Israel’s Ministry of Defence says it is participating for the first time in a defence exhibition in Morocco, as it announced its first-ever national pavilion at the Marrakesh Air Show 2026.“This marks Israel’s first official participation in the defence exhibition held in Morocco since the signing of the Abraham Accords”, Israel’s Defence Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.The ministry said eight Israeli defence companies exhibited “advanced, combat-proven technologies at the show” in Marrakesh, which runs until Saturday.Abdellatif Loudiyi, Morocco’s defence administration minister, speaks at the Marrakech Airshow in Marrakesh, Morocco, October 7, 2026 [Ahmed El Jechtimi/Reuters] The Marrakech Air Show, taking place from October 7 to October 10 this year at the Marrakech Royal Moroccan Air Force Base, is organised every two years and is meant for civil and military aeronautics and space industries to highlight their latest offerings.“Israel’s three major defence industries, Elbit Systems, IAI, and Rafael, also exhibited, presenting solutions across the air, land, sea, space, intelligence, cyber, and digital domains,” it said.Munition exhibited by Israel’s Elbit Systems at the Marrakech Air Show in Marrakesh, Morocco, October 7, 2026 [Ahmed El Jechtimi/Reuters]The announcement is the latest sign of increasing ties between the Arabic-speaking North African country and Israel, since the two established ties in 2020 as part of the US-backed Abraham Accords.Last month, Israel and Morocco agreed to upgrade their diplomatic ties, including elevating their respective missions to embassies and appointing ambassadors to both countries.The move followed a meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers, hosted by the US ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.They also agreed to expand air travel, including by reinstating direct flights operated by carriers from both nations, and confirmed plans for high-level bilateral visits in the coming months.Morocco is also one of the 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.