Israel Donates Used Merkava Tanks to Morocco

Israel is reportedly in discussions to sell used Merkava tanks to the two countries, marking the first export of Merkava armored vehicles in history.

A Defense Ministry official confirmed the negotiations on Thursday, revealing that the two countries involved were Cyprus and Morocco.

While talks with Cyprus appear to be going well, the situation with Morocco is somewhat more complicated, given recent incidents involving the North African country's T-72B tanks.

The potential sale of the Merkava main battle tank to Morocco can be seen as compensation for the T-72B tanks being handed over to Ukraine without Moroccan permission.

The delivery of the tanks was carried out by the Excalibur Army of the Czech Republic and violates the maintenance contract between Morocco and the Czech company.

Consequently, Israel has stepped in to potentially provide Merkava tanks to Morocco, partly as compensation for their unauthorized delivery of T-72B tanks.

Israel itself stipulates that the Merkava tanks they provide may not be provided, donated, re-exported, or sold without the explicit permission of the Israeli government.

If negotiations between Israel and Cyprus, as well as Morocco, reach a successful conclusion, it will be an important milestone for Israel's defense industry.

Exporting the Merkava tank for the first time will not only showcase the country's advanced military technology but also open new avenues for defense cooperation and partnerships with other countries.