Morocco Extradites Bombing Suspect to Israel in Unprecedented Move

The incident dates back to April 2022. Qalibat would have, according to the indictment, placed an explosive device near the building before detonating it remotely. Arrested in Morocco in January 2023, his extradition was requested by the Israeli authorities and finally granted last month. He arrived in Israel on Tuesday, December 17.

Two other suspects, Jaafar Fakhouri and Ali Qalibat, the brother-in-law and brother of Nassim respectively, had been arrested in Israel in March 2022. The investigation, conducted jointly by the police and the Shabak (internal security service), revealed their involvement in this case. Ali Qalibat is said to have left Israel the day after his brother-in-law’s arrest.

The investigation revealed the suspects’ motivations. Qalibat’s relatives would have been recruited by an organization seeking to put pressure on the Ministry of Health regarding its activities in the food sector.

This extradition marks a turning point in the judicial relations between Morocco and Israel. Indeed, there is no extradition agreement between the two countries. This is the first request of its kind since the resumption of diplomatic relations in 2020, within the framework of the Abraham Accords.