Israel, Morocco sign defence deal as part of normalising ties

Tel Aviv Israel and Morocco signed a security memorandum of understanding on Wednesday during a visit from Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz, a follow-up to the two countries’ decision to normalise relations last year. The deal lays the foundation for cooperation in several fields like intelligence, industrial collaboration and military training, according to a spokesperson for Gantz. Gantz signed the deal with senior Moroccan defence official Abdellatif Loudiyi. “It is a very significant development, which will enable us to work on joint projects and promote cooperation. Relations between Israel and Morocco should be expanded and enhanced,” Gantz said.Both officials hailed progress made in the defence field by signing an agreement on information protection and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in cybersecurity. (Agencies)