Hebrew media released exclusive footage this week showing Israeli Golani Brigade soldiers training alongside Moroccan armed forces in a military drill simulating underground tunnel combat. The exercise was part of African Lion 2025, a multinational war game held across various regions of Morocco.
According to Israeli journalists Roy Kais and Itay Blumental of state-run Kan 11, this drill is a continuation of ongoing efforts by the Zionist regime to strengthen military ties with Morocco, under the framework of the 2020 Abraham Accords. These accords, brokered by the U.S., paved the way for expanding security and defence cooperation between Rabat and Tel Aviv.
Outrage as Gaza Warfare Is Rehearsed on Moroccan Soil
Images of Moroccan soldiers training with Israel’s elite Golani Brigade—an occupation unit notorious for crimes in Gaza—sparked widespread backlash on social media, particularly as the Israeli massacre of Palestinians in Gaza continues unabated.
The widely circulated photos show heavily armed Golani troops engaged in joint training with Morocco’s Royal Gendarmerie’s GSI intervention units, rehearsing tunnel invasion tactics—a method Israel has aggressively used in its brutal campaigns across Gaza.
Commemorative images show Israeli soldiers waving both the occupation flag and the Golani insignia, during training sessions involving over 20 countries, including multiple Arab nations.
Palestinian Resistance Condemns Moroccan Complicity
The training took place amid escalating Arab anger over Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. Palestinian Mujahideen Movement issued a firm condemnation, describing Golani as a “Nazi brigade” and calling Morocco’s hosting of these forces a moral and humanitarian collapse.
In a statement, the group said:
“Hosting the killers of children and medics in Rafah is a direct endorsement of genocide against the people of Gaza.”
They also praised the Moroccan public’s anti-normalisation stance, urging an escalation of activism against all forms of ties with the Zionist regime.
From Counterterrorism to Zionist Collaboration
African Lion—once known for its counterterrorism and regional stability objectives—has now shifted dangerously into a platform for legitimising war criminals. The inclusion of Israeli combat units, widely accused of war crimes, raises serious questions about the true aims of these drills on Arab land.
Golani Brigade: A History Stained with Blood
The Golani Brigade is one of the Israeli army’s most brutal urban warfare units. Known for tunnel raids and house demolitions, the brigade has a long record of gross human rights violations.
Most recently, Golani was responsible for the Rafah massacre in March, where 15 Palestinian medical workers were killed in a targeted strike—under the direct orders of brigade commander Yehuda Fakh.
Observers are now questioning the political signals behind allowing this particular brigade to train on Moroccan soil.
Israel’s Military Presence in Morocco Is Not New
Israel’s participation in African Lion began in 2022 as “military observers.” In 2023, their role expanded to include Golani scouts and officers, conducting joint operations with Moroccan and American forces over a 10-day period.
Hebrew outlets described the 2023 involvement as Israel’s “first active combat drill on Moroccan territory”, involving 12 officers and soldiers from the Golani Brigade.
Normalisation in Action: Military Deals Over Morality
This growing cooperation stems from the Abraham Accords, under which Morocco normalised ties with the Israeli regime in exchange for U.S. recognition of Rabat’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Since then, Morocco and Israel have signed multiple military and intelligence agreements, including joint defence manufacturing projects.
In July 2022, Morocco’s Minister Delegate for National Defence, Abdellatif Loudiyi, held a three-day meeting with Israeli Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi to deepen bilateral military ties.
Public Rejection vs. Government Collaboration
Despite the regime’s deepening relationship with Tel Aviv, popular sentiment in Morocco remains strongly anti-normalisation. Protests, solidarity campaigns, and public rejection of Israeli crimes—especially during the ongoing genocide in Gaza—continue to challenge the government’s position.
This places Rabat in a complex geopolitical dilemma, caught between external pressure and internal opposition, between military contracts and the moral compass of its people—a people who stand firmly with Palestine.
