Rabat – The Moroccan Independence Party (Al Istiqlal) has issued a statement to warn against “the serious” ramifications of the US Middle Peace Plan also known as the ‘Deal of the Century’.
The ‘Deal of the Century’ is a proposal from the US administration to broker regional peace in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Party’s executive committee described the peace plan as another Sykes-Picot agreement, which will cause more division and strife across the Arab world.
Also called Asia Minor, the Sykes-Picot Agreement was a secret convention made during World War I between France and the UK with agreement from the Russian Empire and Italy.
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The agreement sought to divide Arab lands under the Ottoman empire and allocate them as ‘spheres of influence’ to France and Great Britain.
The Executive Committee reiterates its “absolute rejection of any attempt to impose a new reality on land that supports Israeli settlement expansion on the coast of Palestinian sovereignty over its territory.”
The statement urged that the Palestinian people should enjoy their “full rights and the right to establish their own independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
Al Istiqlal Party has for long showed unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, in line with Morocco’s full solidarity with the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to establish anindependent state.
King Mohammed VI has long been vocal in his support for the Palestinian cause.
In December 2017, the King addressed a letter to US President Donald Trump and the United Nations in the wake of President Trump’s removal of the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem..
In his message to Trump, the King wrote, ““The city of Al-Quds must remain a land of cohabitation and a symbol of coexistence and tolerance for all.”
He added that “The city is not only important for the parties of the conflict, but also for believers in the three Abrahamic religions, due to its unique religious characteristics, its ancient identity, and its great political symbolism.”
Morocco also emphasized its staunch support for the Palestinian cause during Pope Francis’ visit last March. During the visit, the Pope and King Mohammed VI signed the “Al-Quds call” to protest the multicultural character of Jerusalem, a move that received appreciation from several states, including Palestine.
Following the US embassy move to Jerusalem, Palestine no longer accepts US as a mediator.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbass said on December 30, 2017 that “Jerusalem is and will forever be the capital of the Palestinian state.”
“We do not accept any role of the United States in the political process from now on, because it is completely biased towards Israel,” he said.
