Israelis will again be able to fly directly to Morocco on Thursday, after Israeli media reported that Rabat had agreed to reinstate routes suspended since the war on Gaza began in 2023.
Morocco, which entered the controversial Abraham Accords normalisation process with Israel in exchange for US recognition of its claim over Western Sahara, has now authorised Israeli airlines to reopen ticket sales to Marrakesh and Casablanca.
The suspension lasted more than two years and unfolded amid sustained public anger and frequent protests in Morocco over Israel's genocide in Gaza.
Israel's Channel 12 reported late on Wednesday that the move had marked the first time since October 2023 that Morocco had allowed flights by carriers El Al and Arkia from Tel Aviv to resume.
According to the outlet, discussions to restore the routes only took place after Israel had reached its latest ceasefire in Gaza and after Houthi attacks on Ben Gurion Airport subsided.
The move also followed talks between Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev and her Moroccan counterpart Abdel Sadek Qayouh, and was later cleared by both countries' civil aviation authorities.
According to Channel 12, coordination between Israeli and Moroccan transport and security agencies restarted only recently, paving the way for the decision.
The resumption comes despite mounting public pressure inside Morocco for the government to distance itself from Israel following the genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed over 90,000 Palestinians and completely devastated the enclave, razing entire neighbourhoods and cities.
Direct flights were halted at the start of the war, when Israel’s National Security Council raised its travel advisory for Morocco to level three, citing what it called "hostile elements" following widespread outrage in Morocco over Israel's Gaza atrocities.