Israel advances Morocco relations with appointment of first military attaché
The IDF appointee, Colonel Sharon Itah, has a Moroccan heritage and was previously in charge of the Haifa district within the Israeli Home Front Command
Israel appointed its first military attaché to Morocco on Monday, furthering the development of the two countries’ defense cooperation since the deepening of their ties through the Abraham Accords.
The initiative started with an agreement signed in November 2022 by Israel and Morocco in its capitalת Rabat. The two countries agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in defense, intelligence, industrial cooperation and military training.
Israel Defense Force (IDF) Colonel Sharon Itah was appointed to this new diplomatic post, a choice that was not made by chance, as the officer has cultural ties to Rabat through his Moroccan heritage. The colonel was previously in charge of the Haifa district within the Israeli Home Front Command.
In June, Israeli soldiers officially trained in Morocco, a first for the IDF to participate in military exercises on the territory of an Arab Muslim country. The Golani infantry unit sent 12 members of its brigade to take part in the African Lion exercise, under the direction of the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) alongside their American and Moroccan counterparts, as well as those from some 16 other countries.
"The soldiers were warmly welcomed. I would even say exceptionally positive if we compare it to the reception generally reserved for other participants in this type of exercise," a military source told i24NEWS at the time.
"For Moroccan soldiers, it is a question of learning and sharing the Israeli military experience. These soldiers share common challenges with ours: Namely, the protection of borders, the fight against terrorism, and the involvement of Iran and its proxies in destabilizing the region," the source added.
The exercise came after a historic visit to Israel by Lieutenant General Belkheir Al-Farouq, the Inspector General of Morocco’s Royal Armed Forces. He was invited to participate in a week-long symposium on security and innovation.