Among the leaked Pentagon documents, one of them, classified and recently leaked, indicates that Israel is scheduled to deliver its “Barak-MX” air and missile defense system to Morocco in the middle of the current year. .
Morocco is therefore preparing to receive the Barak-MX system from Israel. The Kingdom appeared in one of the leaked Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) documents regarding possible Israeli support for Ukraine. These documents reported by American media indicate that Washington believes that Israel can be persuaded to let third parties supply Kiev with weapons, including surface-to-air and anti-tank missiles.
The FAR-Morocco Forum indicates in this sense that the reception of the Barak-MX system for medium and long range air defense in mid-2023 is not linked to this affair of the delivery of arms to Ukraine via the Morocco. Indeed, it is worth remembering thate document reportedly assessed that the most “plausible” path would be for Israel to adopt the “Turkish model”, selling missile defense systems through a third party while publicly calling for a peaceful end to the conflict and offering mediation services. That we are reassured this is not the case and no offense to the detractors.
Used in the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh between Armenia and Azerbaijan, the Barak-MX system has largely proven itself. Indeed, he had a maximum success rate, by smashing Russian missiles, the very ones used by Algeria. The Barak-MX is not an offensive weapon but a defensive one but it deters the enemy from using its ballistic and cruise missile capabilities. It is currently used by Azerbaijan, India and the EU, with Morocco due to receive its system in mid-2023 and Colombia in 2026″, adds the document where Morocco is mentioned.
But the supply of this system from the aircraft manufacturer, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) in Morocco is an open secret. Indeed the contract had been negotiated with the former Israeli Minister of Defense Benny Gantz during his visit to Morocco in November 2021 as part of an agreement worth more than 500 million dollars. It is, therefore, within the deadlines that the delivery will be made.
Morocco is also a buyer in this same market of Israeli Heron drones, as well as other drones from the same supplier by IAI Bluebird, as well as Elbit Systems robotic patrol vehicle systems and Skylock drone interceptors, among other acquisitions. These purchases were made via a third party, today since the Abraham Accords they are made directly.
Some have made a big deal out of it and through the media and the Pentagon in the United States have had a field day. The leaks have certainly aroused amazement among senior American officials who see in the fact a “serious” risk for American security. That said, if Morocco was cited in the incriminated document, it is in the same way as countries which use or will use the Barak-MX system (Azerbaijan, India and the EU, as well as Morocco and Colombia shortly.
The document in question is titled “ Israel: the paths of lethal aid to Ukraine and is part of a mine of documents and it depends or not, as part of a disinformation campaign. Moreover, some countries were furious to learn that Uncle Sam was spying on some of their main allies. But what is really upsetting is that the US thinks Israel can be pressured or persuaded to change its stance on Ukraine and provide Kiev with “lethal aid”, according to the leaked document.