Morocco state TV faces backlash for casting Israeli-Moroccan actress

Moroccan pro-Palestine groups are protesting the casting of a Moroccan actress who also holds Israeli citizenship in a state-backed television production after she reportedly supported the "annihilation of Gaza" amidst Israel's ongoing genocide in the Gaza Strip.

"She's a war criminal who supports the annihilation of Gaza. There's no difference between her and Netanyahu (Israeli PM)", argued Mohamed El-Ghafri, a pro-Palestine activist, during a protest in front of the building of 2M broadcasting service in Rabat, on 22 October.

On 26 September, Eva Kadoush, an Israeli-Moroccan artist, made her debut on Moroccan public television 2M in Nass Lmlah ("Good People")— a series depicting the coexistence of Jews and Muslims in Essaouira, a Moroccan city known for its Jewish heritage.

However, Kadoush's casting soon caused outrage after her apparent online endorsement of Israeli missile attacks on Gaza went viral.

Kadoush was born in Rabat and then immigrated to Israel and lived in the town of Be'er Ya'aqov before returning to Morocco. Kadoush's Facebook account—where she publishes daily traditional recipes and often writes in Hebrew—states Israel's Be'er Ya'akov as her hometown.

In a statement to The New Arab, Kadoush said she identifies as "a Jewish Moroccan" and she "stands for peace, tolerance, and coexistence." She refrained from discussing any of her controversial social media posts.

"I reject anyone who questions my (Moroccan) nationality. I have filed a complaint against all those who have incited people against me," added the actress, who is now based in Marrakesh.

Local media circulated screenshots of her Facebook posts, including one from October 2023 that featured an image of an Israeli missile aimed at Gaza, with a caption saying, "Gaza will be erased today."

These posts are no longer visible on her page.

"These were fabricated pictures. She has filled a complaint against those promoting this narrative," said Ahmed Aroua, a co-producer of the series, in a brief statement to the state-linked Assabah newspaper.

However, other posts from Kadoush are accessible, including posts in which she praises the Israeli army and celebrates Tel Aviv's assassination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, which reportedly killed hundreds of Lebanese and led to mass displacement. 

On Tuesday, pro-Palestine groups extended their usual protests from the Parliament to the 2M building in Rabat, slamming the public channel for its involvement in producing and airing the controversial series. 

"It's a betrayal to Moroccans," activist El-Ghafri asserted.

Moroccan public television channel 2M is largely funded by the state. Rabat allocated nearly $390 million (4.06 billion dirhams) in 2024 to communication and culture, including broadcasting services.

So far, 2M has refrained from officially commenting on the backlash.

Pro-Palestinian groups are planning another protest in front of 2M's main headquarters in Casablanca, one of the city's most secure buildings, in the near future.

Morocco normalised relations with Israel in late 2020. Anti-normalisation sentiment has strengthened since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, with over 10,000 people signing a petition urging Rabat to sever ties.

While Rabat has condemned Israel's flagrant violations in Gaza, it continues to quietly maintain normalisation with Israel. A source from the foreign ministry told Reuters in March that Rabat keeps ties with Tel Aviv for its supposed "advantages" for the Palestinian cause.

Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita hasn't publicly addressed the issues over normalisation since last October.