Doha – In a first-of-its-kind operation, Moroccan authorities have extradited an Israeli suspect to Israel, marking a significant milestone in law enforcement cooperation between the two countries despite the absence of a formal extradition treaty.
According to Israeli media, Nassim Kalibat, a resident of Bosmat Tivon, was extradited to Israel on Tuesday after being arrested in Morocco in January 2023. Kalibat is the primary suspect in a bombing incident that occurred outside the Health Ministry offices in Nazareth in November 2021.
The extradition process began in April 2022 when Israel submitted its request to Moroccan authorities. While a Moroccan judge initially approved the request, the final authorization from Moroccan Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi came after more than a year.
Following last month’s approval of the extradition by Moroccan authorities, Kalibat was transported to Israel where he will now face trial for his alleged role in the 2021 bombing incident.
The case stems from an incident where Kalibat allegedly planted and detonated an explosive device using a remote control near the Health Ministry offices in Nazareth, causing significant damage to the building.
Two other suspects, including Kalibat’s brother Ali, 24, and his brother-in-law Ja’afar Fakhoury, 20, were arrested in March 2022. Kalibat fled Israel one day after Fakhoury’s arrest.
The operation involved multiple Israeli agencies, including the Israel Police Intelligence Division, the Air Unit, the Northern District Central Unit (Yamar), the Shin Bet security service, and the International Department of the State Prosecutor’s Office.
The investigation was jointly conducted by Yamar and the Shin Bet due to the attack targeting government facilities.
Attorney Tomer Nave, representing Kalibat, stated that his client had actually requested and agreed to the extradition from Morocco.
“We requested this from the Supreme Court, even offering to cover the costs of transporting him on a private plane at the family’s expense. The police refused, but now they have chartered a private plane to bring him to Israel, stopping in Italy, with officers accompanying him from Morocco to Israel,” Nave said.
“My client denies the allegations against him and had not been interrogated prior to his arrest. According to him, he traveled to Morocco for tourism and was randomly arrested during a police check approximately four months after arriving in Morocco. He claims he has no connection to the explosive device detonation,” Nave added.
The International Department of the State Prosecutor’s Office commented on the extradition, saying it “demonstrates the efforts of Israeli law enforcement authorities to bring fugitive criminals to justice.”
The case was handled by attorneys Tom Wind and Matan Akiva from the State Prosecutor’s Office, in coordination with the Israeli Police Intelligence Division’s Operations Coordination Department, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Israel’s diplomatic mission in Morocco.
This extradition counters recent claims that Morocco has become a safe haven for Israeli fugitives, particularly following a separate case where the Rabat Court of Appeal agreed to review allegations against an Israeli soldier for alleged war crimes in Gaza.
These cases demonstrate Morocco’s commitment to international justice rather than serving as a refuge for suspects fleeing Israeli law enforcement.
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