According to police officials contacted by Spanish news agency EFE, around 14,000 people took part in the march from the gates of Rabat’s medina to the parliament.
Protesters carried Palestinian flags of various sizes, as well as photos showing Palestinians killed and wounded in Gaza, “kufias” (Palestinian scarves) and the flags of Morocco and Palestine.
Protesters chanted slogans against the normalization of diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
Morocco and Israel resumed diplomatic ties in 2020 under the Abraham Accords, sponsored by then-US President Donald Trump to bring Arab countries closer to the Israeli state.
In response, the then United States administration recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the territory of Western Sahara, a move that new US President Joe Biden promised to reverse, but to date he has not done so.
Some slogans like “People against normalization”, “No normalization” or “Normalization is a betrayal” were heard in the demonstration.
Phrases were also heard in support of the “Al Aqsa Storm” operation against Israel by the Islamist group Hamas, which is considered a terrorist by the European Union (UEE) and the United States and the Palestinian people.
“Moroccans salute the resistance of the Palestinian people”, “Palestine, we sacrifice our blood for you”, “Gaza, a symbol of pride”, “Palestine is not for sale”, “Stop the genocide of Gaza children” or “Free Palestine” are some of the most heard phrases.
The march, which also came from other parts of Morocco, also featured pro-Palestine posters and slogans such as “The land you have to kill is not yours, the land you have to die in is Palestine.”
Under the slogan “Moroccan people support al-Aqsa storm and against normalization”, the march called for support from the Moroccan Front, Palestine and the Anti-Normalization and Pro-Palestinian National Action Group and was supported by Islamist organizations. Among them are the Justice and Development Party (PJD), currently in opposition but which ruled Morocco for a decade until 2021, and the Justice and Spiritual Movement.
At an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League in Cairo on the 11th of this month, Morocco’s diplomatic chief, Nasser Burida, criticized the Israeli response and called for “full protection” for civilians trapped in the Gaza Strip.
“The widespread targeting of civilians is of great concern. We must underline the importance of giving them full protection in accordance with the rules of international law,” Bourita said during the opening session of the Moroccan-led meeting. .
The Moroccan minister described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic” and recalled the “massive displacement” of people fleeing incessant Israeli bombardment of the enclave, which is under “total siege”, including “cutting off water and denying the entry of food”. , medicine and fuel”.
According to Morocco’s foreign minister, the “siege” of Gaza is “in the midst of the expression of a systematic and terrible discourse about destruction, not good for the future”, remembering that “violence only leads” against violence.”
“The bloody and brutal events we have all witnessed in recent days, as well as the unprecedented violence and dangerous tension, are a sign that we are facing an unprecedented situation that could take the conflict to a level that will be felt by everyone in the Gaza Strip,” he warned.