US defense funding bill would turn Abraham Accords member Morocco into strategic partner

A bill currently in the U.S. Senate could strengthen one of Israel’s strategic North African partners. 

Section 1268 of the Fiscal Year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act, S. 4784, calls for the Secretary of Defense to develop a 10-year “plan to enhance United States defense cooperation with Morocco.” 

“Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense shall submit to the congressional defense committees a plan to enhance United States defense cooperation with Morocco, consistent with the United States-Morocco Roadmap for Defense Cooperation for 2026 through 2036,” the bill states. 

According to the text of the bill, the plan will contain several parts, including: the establishment of “cooperative security locations in Morocco” for conducting joint exercises; increased counter-terrorism collaboration between the U.S. and Moroccan militaries; a plan to refurbish Cold War-era runways; “force modernization” to include drone facilities; and an increase in “bilateral and multilateral military exercises, such as African Lion.” 

The proposed plan would see the U.S. work to modernize and develop the Moroccan military as a key regional partner. 

Last year, IDF units took part in the African Lion multinational exercise in Morocco, including conducting joint tunnel warfare and anti-terror exercises alongside Moroccan and U.S. soldiers. Leaked footage of that cooperation sparked outrage across many Arab social media channels. 

Israel began participating in the multinational exercise in 2023, before the start of the Oct. 7 Gaza War. 

While Morocco was only one of several Muslim nations to normalize ties with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords, it is the first country to begin open defense cooperation with the Jewish State. With Israel also aiding the United Arab Emirates during the 2026 Iran War, these partnerships demonstrate that Israel stands ready to engage in strategic defense partnerships with its Abraham Accords partners, not just economic partnerships. 

The presence of a defense partner in North Africa helps shield Israel from attempts by Iran to develop proxies in that region capable of causing problems for the Jewish State. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was one of the suppliers of the Polisario Front in the Western Sahara, which was partially behind the decision by Israel and the U.S. to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory. 

The region is also rich in phosphate deposits, a necessary ingredient in the production of explosives for defense products. With the U.S. and Israel seeking to secure phosphate sources not under Russian or Chinese control, the partnership with Morocco aligns with the strategic interests of both countries. 

The “plan to establish a drone center of excellence in Morocco” aligns well with the existing partnership between Israel and Morocco, which has seen the latter purchase several air defense systems from Israeli defense firms. Israel and the U.S. have collaborated on drone technology, and this development promises to strengthen such ties. 

It also promises to be a deterrent to attempts by the IRGC-backed Polisario Front to destabilize the situation.