Israel’s Defense Ministry and top defense industry entities on Thursday inaugurated their first official participation in the defense exhibition held in Morocco since the signing of the Abraham Accords. It is also the first time that the ministry has debuted an Israeli national pavilion and headed a delegation of Israeli defense industries at the show.
This participation took place as Israel has been banned or its participation reduced by France and various other Western allies due to their criticism of its conduct during the Gaza war.
Criticism of Israel has continued even as the IDF has observed its commitment not to invade Hamas-held parts of Gaza since a general ceasefire in October 2025; while Israel and Hamas have pointed fingers over who is holding up progressing toward the later stages of the ceasefire agreement, such as disarming and rebuilding.
Eight Israeli defense companies exhibited advanced, combat-proven technologies at the Marrakesh show, including loitering munitions, AI-powered robotic systems, autonomous navigation capabilities for UAVs, laser guidance for FPV drones, satellite communications, and other items.
Alongside the ministry paviilion, Israel’s three major defense industries, Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), and Rafael, were present at the exhibit, presenting solutions across the air, land, sea, space, intelligence, cyber, and digital domains.
The opening of the Israeli national pavilion at the Marrakech Airshow is part of the ministry’s strategy to increase defense exports and defense cooperation with countries worldwide.
This strategy serves as a tool to strengthen the IDF’s force buildup, influence foreign policy, and bolster the Israeli defense industry and economy. During the exhibition, meetings were held with delegations and government officials from various countries.
Head of the Defense Ministry’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT) Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yair Kulas said, “Israel’s first-ever participation in an exhibition in Morocco marks an important milestone for the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Israeli defense industry. The companies that exhibited at the show brought combat-proven technologies alongside innovation in autonomy, artificial intelligence, and communications. SIBAT serves as a gateway to Israel’s defense ecosystem, and this exhibition served as a platform for expanding international defense cooperation and building long-term partnerships as part of advancing the Ministry of Defense’s strategy.”