Moroccans Rally in Massive Pro-Palestinian Demonstration

On Nov 27, 2023

Tens of thousands of Moroccans gathered in Casablanca on Sunday to demand a lasting cease-fire in Gaza and the suspension of diplomatic relations with Israel. Despite the once-growing ties between Morocco and Israel since their normalization in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, the recent Palestinian conflict has strained their relationship.

The demonstration in Casablanca saw participants waving Palestinian flags and urging Rabat to sever ties with Israel. Socialist MP Nabila Mounib emphasized the need for a permanent cease-fire, advocating for peace and the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem.

Hassan Bahadou, representing the anti-normalization alliance of leftist parties and Islamists that organized the protest, condemned what he described as the silence of Arab regimes allied with Israel.

While pro-Palestinian demonstrations had been on the decline in Morocco in recent years, the Gaza war has sparked a resurgence in activism. Moroccan cardiologist Safae Abderazzak participated in the protest to denounce Israeli aggression against Palestinians and fellow doctors in Gaza.

The four-day truce that began on Friday marked a temporary halt to the conflict between Hamas and Israel, triggered by an unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7. The conflict resulted in casualties on both sides, with Hamas raids into southern Israel killing at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials. Israel, in reprisal, bombarded the densely populated Gaza Strip, resulting in a significant number of casualties.

As part of the truce, Hamas released 39 Israelis and 19 foreign and dual-national hostages on Friday, in exchange for the liberation of 117 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. The situation remains complex, with ongoing concerns about the prospects for lasting peace in the region.

With ArabNews