Amidst global efforts to maintain neutrality in the Israeli-Hamas conflict, Morocco has boldly taken a side, and it’s no guessing game which side they’ve chosen. In a move that left little room for ambiguity, thousands of demonstrators marched through Rabat on Sunday, passionately voicing their support for Palestinians trapped in Gaza. This event marked the most significant anti-Israeli protest since diplomatic relations normalized in 2020.
The march, orchestrated by a coalition of Islamist and leftist groups, echoed with slogans like “Palestine is resisting” and “All against normalization” as they symbolically set an Israeli flag ablaze. Among the protesters, Charki Lahrech passionately denounced what he saw as a double standard by Western governments regarding the Palestinian situation. In his words, some nations appeared to turn a blind eye to Israel’s retaliatory strikes following Hamas militant attacks.
Lahrech stressed, “You cannot denounce Hamas’s actions while ignoring Israeli actions that have tragically claimed the lives of civilians, including children, women, and the elderly. This march serves as a message of solidarity with the Palestinian people, assuring them that they are not alone.”
It’s worth noting that Morocco, despite having a defense cooperation pact with Israel, advocates for a two-state solution in the Middle East and promotes peace and the protection of all civilians.
In the midst of this, it’s evident that religious and political biases have played a significant role. While some argue that Morocco may have overlooked the initial strike, it’s clear that deeply entrenched beliefs and allegiances are clouding the broader picture.
