AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Hundreds of Moroccans have reportedly staged demonstrations all across Morocco to show solidarity with the Palestinian cause and denounce Rabat’s agreement to normalize relations with the Israeli regime in a deal brokered with the help of the administration of US President Donald Trump.
On Saturday night, a huge crowd took to the streets in the North African country’s largest port city of Casablanca, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans in condemnation of the “shameful” Israel-Morocco normalization deal.
They also slammed the Tel Aviv regime’s countless crimes against Palestinian people.
This came after it was stated that a delegation from Morocco will visit Israel over the weekend to work on advancing bilateral diplomatic relations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remarked in a video statement on Saturday that the sides will talk about reopening liaison offices, establishing embassies and launching direct flights between Tel Aviv and Rabat.
The Moroccan delegation is expected to arrive in Israel on Sunday evening, according to the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
During a reportedly “warm and friendly” telephone conversation on Friday, Netanyahu extended an invitation for Morocco’s King Mohammed VI to come to Israel and the two agreed to continue contacts in order to advance the normalization deal in the weeks ahead, a statement from the Israeli premier’s office noted.
It added that the two leaders congratulated each other over the renewal of mutual ties, the signing of the joint statement with the US as well as bilateral deals.
Israel and Morocco agreed on December 10 to normalize ties in a deal brokered by the incumbent US president Donald Trump, making the North African country the fourth Arab state this year to strike a deal aimed at establishment of ties with Israel. The others were the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Sudan.
Trump sealed the agreement over a phone call with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. As part of the agreement, the US president agreed to officially recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the Western Sahara region.
The Algerian Foreign Ministry later rejected Trump's stance, stating that the US decision “has no legal effect because it contradicts UN resolutions, especially UN Security Council resolutions on Western Sahara.”
“The proclamation would undermine the de-escalation efforts made at all levels in order to pave the way for launching a real political process,” the ministry said in a statement.
/129