Morocco-Israel ties deepen as protesters demand ‘no ambassador, no embassy’
As protesters marched against the embassy upgrade, the king’s Jerusalem agency met Palestinian leaders in the city and in Ramallah.
Protests erupted across Morocco on Sunday, as citizens voiced their opposition to the kingdom's decision to elevate ties with Israel to full embassy status. Despite the protests, Moroccan authorities proceeded with plans to exchange ambassadors and deepen economic cooperation with Israel. The move comes after Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar, and US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz announced the upgrade on September 16 in New York.
Yasmine Hasnaoui, a political scientist at Hassan First University, explained that such demonstrations are common in Morocco but do not alter the country's stance on the normalization process. The upgrade is a continuation of the 2020 agreement, which saw Morocco restore formal relations with Israel and recognize its sovereignty over Western Sahara, a territory claimed by the Polisario Front.
Demonstrators in Rabat and Marrakech chanted slogans demanding an end to normalization and the fall of the ambassador and embassy. However, no serious disturbances were reported. The Front for Supporting Palestine and Opposing Normalization, as well as the Moroccan Commission for Supporting the Nation's Causes, organized 76 events in 45 cities on Friday to protest the upgrades.
The protests were fueled by concerns about political power and economic disparities, issues that have also surfaced during Morocco's recent parliamentary election. The palace-aligned Authenticity and Modernity Party secured 97 out of 395 seats, while the Islamist Justice and Development Party, up from 13 seats in 2021, won 54. Turnout dropped to about 38% from around 50% in 2018.
Analysts suggest that Morocco's relations with Israel have deeper foundations than electoral politics, reflecting a strategic direction led by the king and top state officials. Western Sahara remains a central issue in this strategy, as Morocco claims full sovereignty over the territory, while the Polisario Front seeks independence.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
