Morocco registers record number of 111 protests for Palestine in one day

Morocco has marked a historic day with a record-breaking over one hundred pro-Palestinian protests amidst the growing solidarity with Palestine in the North African kingdom. 

"Morocco witnessed 111 protests on Friday in 66 cities over the kingdom. Dozens of protests took place over the weekend," stated the Moroccan Authority for Advocating the Nation's Causes, a local Islamist organisation. 

On Friday, 19 January, thousands took to the streets after Friday's Islamic prayer, chanting, "We all sacrifice for resilient Gaza", as they waved flags of Palestine and Hamas' armed group, Al-Qassam. 

111 مظاهرة داعمة لغزة في 60 مدينة مغربية في جمعة طوفان الأقصى 15 (جمعة القنوت)#فلسطين_قضيتي#GazaGeniocide pic.twitter.com/EfMumtFaBM

— الهيئة المغربية لنصرة قضايا الأمة (@nosraorg) January 20, 2024

The protests continued until the night as hundreds more protesters joined the rallies, reiterating their demands for Rabat to cut all ties with Israel and close the Tel Aviv liaison office in the capital—Morocco normalised ties with Israel late in 2020. 

Since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, pro-Palestine protests produced a space for solidarity among the North African kingdom's myriad of political parties, bringing together long-term rivals — socialists and Islamists — who have been staunchly advocating for the end of Morocco's normalisation with Israel.

"The message is directed to the Moroccan state to withdraw from the accursed normalisation agreement, especially considering the popular referendum rejecting it, as expressed through the organisation of more than 1500 demonstrations since 7 October," said Mohamed Al-Riahi, a member of the Moroccan Authority for Advocating the Nation's Causes. 

On 10 January, the Moroccan government declined to receive a petition, endorsed by over 10,200 signatures, urging the reversal of normalisation with Israel, according to pro-Palestine activists. 

Rabat has argued that the refusal was simply over a bureaucracy technicality. 

Since 7 October, Rabat and Tel Aviv have not spoken about the status of their ties. Skipping the third anniversary of their normalisation deal last year has fuelled speculation about a potential deterioration in relations between the two states. 

Nevertheless, the recent announcement by Morocco's liaison office in Israel regarding new visa services has refuted the theory of strained relations, indicating that Rabat and Tel Aviv are maintaining their relationship despite significant public disapproval in Morocco.