The march organized on Sunday in Rabat, Morocco, in support of Gaza and to defend the right of the Palestinian people to have an independent state, brought together hundreds of thousands of people, making this event the largest gathering in twenty years in the country. This massive mobilization has a clear objective: to demand the suspension of the normalization of relations between Morocco and Israel, signed at the end of 2020.
The Moroccan government thus finds itself facing a delicate situation, having to deal with a population strongly committed to the Palestinian cause. Indeed, this demonstration is an opportunity for demonstrators to reaffirm their solidarity with Gaza, but also to ask the government to review its position in normalization with Israel, particularly in terms of economic and military cooperation.
In this context, calls to boycott Israeli products and companies are increasing, increasing pressure on the Moroccan government. Trade between Morocco and Israel reached $56 million in 2022, which raises questions about the consistency of normalization with the defense of the rights of the Palestinian people.
Despite this popular mobilization and internal tensions, Morocco seems to resist putting an end to normalization with Israel. However, the government has recently increased contacts with the Palestinian authorities, a sign that it is taking into account this pro-Palestinian sentiment expressed by a large part of the Moroccan population.
This march was authorized by the Moroccan authorities and was accompanied, which demonstrates a certain tolerance on the part of the government. The slogans heard during the demonstration reveal the indignation and the desire to defend universal rights and condemn war crimes. This highlights the discomfort in which the Moroccan government finds itself in the face of this delicate situation.
It is important to emphasize that this mobilization in favor of Gaza and the Palestinian cause is not isolated to Morocco. In many Muslim countries, tens of thousands of people also showed support for the Palestinians.
In conclusion, the march in support of Gaza in Rabat brought together hundreds of thousands of people, demonstrating the commitment of the Moroccan people to the Palestinian cause. This mobilization puts the government in a delicate position, having to juggle normalization with Israel and the aspirations of its population. The question of defending the rights of the Palestinian people continues to divide and spark debate in Morocco.