Moroccans Protest against Normalization of Relations with Israeli Regime

Moroccans have staged demonstrations across the North African country to reiterate their unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and voice outrage at the US-sponsored normalization of diplomatic relations with Israel on its second anniversary.

People from all strata of society heeded a call by the “Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine and Against Normalization,” took part in nationwide rallies in almost 30 cities, including in Casablanca, Oujda, Meknes, Tangier, Larache, Khemisset, Agadir, and Khouribga, to show solidarity with Palestinians and censure Morocco’s normalization of ties with the Tel Aviv regime.

Protesters converged outside the Parliament of Morocco premises in the capital Rabat, where they chanted slogans in condemnation of the normalization, and demanded the reversal of the agreement.

The demonstrators waved national Palestinian flags, and held up placards that read “Normalization is treacherous” and “The struggle will carry on until the normalization agreement is revoked” in Arabic.

The participants also set fire to the Israeli flag in front of the legislature’s building.

Tayeb Midhmadh, coordinator for the Moroccan Front in Support of Palestine and Against Normalization movement, which reportedly includes 15 political, union and human rights organizations, said the nationwide protests convey the message that the entire nation is fiercely opposed to normalization with Israel.

Israel and Morocco agreed on December 10, 2020 to normalize relations in a deal brokered with the help of former US President Donald Trump’s administration, making the North African country the fourth Arab state to strike a normalization deal with the regime. The others were the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.

Trump sealed the agreement in a phone call with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. As part of the agreement, the US president agreed to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara region, which has been at the center of a dispute with neighboring Algeria.

Algeria cut diplomatic ties with Morocco in August 2021, citing "hostile actions." 

The Algerian Foreign Ministry later rejected Trump’s stance, saying the US decision “has no legal effect because it contradicts UN resolutions, especially UN Security Council resolutions on Western Sahara.”

The Algeria-backed and pro-independence Polisario Front also rejected “in the strongest terms” Trump’s stance on the disputed Western Sahara Desert region, stating that the former US president attempted to give Morocco the region “which does not belong to it.”

The agreement with Israel also drew condemnation from the Palestinians.