Israeli lawmaker Dan Illouz, a Knesset member of Moroccan descent, said ties between Morocco and Israel have strengthened five years after diplomatic relations were restored, calling the rapprochement both strategic and personal.
Morocco resumed relations with Israel in 2020 under a deal brokered by US President Donald Trump, a move that led Washington to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Israel later followed the U.S. step by also recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara, further anchoring the diplomatic opening.
A sixth of Israeli citizens have Moroccan origins, which give bilateral ties a personal and human aspect.
Illouz, whose father is from Fès and mother from Safi, said the renewal of ties felt like «the reopening of the doors of our family home.” He described the more than one million Israelis of Moroccan origin as a “living bridge” reinforcing the partnership.
The lawmaker identified water, energy and youth exchanges as areas with untapped potential.
He said Israel’s expertise in desalination and irrigation made it a “natural partner” for Morocco, and argued that expanded academic cooperation would “render the partnership irreversible.”
Trade and defense cooperation has grown steadily since normalization, with Morocco and Israel establishing a formal security alliance.
Illouz described Morocco as “a key pillar of regional stability.” Since the resumption of ties, Morocco has reportedly acquired Israeli air‑defense systems and unmanned aerial systems, including drones, as part of a broader military modernization push.
Israeli supplies now include air‑defense and unmanned systems, with Morocco expanding drone production with Israeli support.
Illouz rejected Algeria’s criticism of Moroccan‑Israeli ties and spoke of his personal attachment to Moroccan culture, citing music, cuisine and what he called the Moroccan “hikma,” or wisdom. “I am not only a Knesset member; I am a living bridge proud of his roots,” he said.
