El Al Extends Suspension of Direct Morocco-Israel Flights for Summer Season

El Al maintains the suspension of its direct flights between Morocco and Israel. In a statement, it announced that it would not resume its flights for the summer season. This company and Arkia had suspended their flights operated between Marrakech and Tel Aviv since Monday, October 23 and until further notice. The Marrakech flights were interrupted in October due to Israeli travel bans to Morocco, the same source recalls.

Since the surprise and spectacular attack by Hamas on October 7 and the Israeli retaliation, the National Security Council (NSC) has given instructions to its citizens wishing to travel to Morocco. It has raised the kingdom to level 3, which recommends postponing non-essential travel. "Given the fear that terrorist entities may attempt to harm Israelis in Morocco and in the context of Operation Swords of Fire, avoid any non-essential travel to Morocco," it advised in December.

Since October, many Moroccans have been demonstrating for Palestine throughout the country. Gathered in Rabat at the end of December, 10,000 people denounced "a war of extermination in Gaza", as well as the kingdom’s ties with Israel. The protesters also called for the severing of relations with the Hebrew state, demanded the end of cooperation agreements with Tel Aviv and called for the closure of the Israeli liaison office.

El Al also announced to its customers that it would not resume its direct flights to Dublin either. These flights were launched in March last year and were supposed to continue until November, but were suspended a few weeks after Hamas triggered the war by attacking Israel on October 7, the statement said.