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Rabat – Morocco’s House of Representatives stressed the “firm, frank, and responsible” position of Morocco on the Palestinian cause.
Morocco has always insisted on equal negotiation between the Palestinian and Israeli parties in order to reach a fair and lasting solution for the Palestinian people, based on international resolutions, said a statement, issued on Monday, February 10.
The lower chamber of the Parliament highlighted the religious and spiritual symbolism of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and its monuments, recalling the “Al-Quds Call” signed by King Mohammed VI and Pope Francis.
The document, signed in March 2019, aims to promote and enhance the specific multi-faith character, spiritual dimension, and special identity of Al-Quds.
According to the House of Representatives, the “Al-Quds Call” clearly emphasizes the need for a future of peace and fraternity between Palestinians and Israelis and on the preservation of the status of Al-Quds.
The “call” also demands a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that respects the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people to establish an independent and sovereign state, with Al-Quds as its capital, in order to establish security, stability, peace, and humane living conditions.
Trump’s “vision for peace”
The statement comes in response to the latest developments in the Israel-Palestine conflict since US President Donald Trump announced his “vision for peace” in the Middle-East, known as the “Deal of the Century,” on January 28.
Trump shared a conceptual map on his Twitter account that shows his proposed two-state solution, with defined borders between Palestine and Israel.
The map shows Al-Quds as the Israeli capital, while Palestinians could make a town to the East of Al-Quds as their capital. Palestinians would be able to rename their new capital Al-Quds, or whatever name they would like, according to Trump.
Anger in the Arab world
The American proposal caused tangible indignation in the Arab world. Three days after Trump shared his “vision,” the Council of the Arab League called for an extraordinary meeting of Arab States’ foreign ministers in the Egyptian capital, Cairo.
Following the meeting, the Arab League issued a statement rejecting the “Deal of the Century.”
According to the Arab organization, the proposed plan is unilateral, does not meet the fundamental rights and aspirations of the Palestinian people, and does not respect international peace standards and UN resolutions.
Many ordinary citizens also expressed their anger at the proposal through public demonstrations. On February 9, about ten thousand Moroccans marched in Rabat in solidarity with the Palestinian people’s rights, protesting against the American “peace plan.”
Protesters waved Moroccan and Palestinian flags to express their determination to continue supporting the Palestinian cause and rejecting all maneuvers against the rights of Palestinians.
Morocco’s ambiguous position
Despite the visible support of the Moroccan people for the Palestinian cause, Morocco’s official position on the issue remained ambiguous.
On the day after Trump publicized his plan, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Morocco’s “appreciation [for the] peace efforts of Trump’s administration.”
The ministry’s statement noted that Morocco followed Trump’s presentation closely and “will examine its details carefully, in view of the importance of the vision and its scope.”
The statement attracted a wave of criticism from Moroccan MPs. In response, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita condemned any “political action in the name of the Palestinian cause.”
According to the FM, Morocco’s position must be rational and not based on emotional agendas. The position of the Palestinian government is what matters the most since it’s up to Palestine to accept or reject the proposed plan.
Moroccans “must not be more Palestinian than Palestinians themselves,” he said at the House of Councillors, stressing that Palestinians will have the final say concerning the deal.
A Morocco-US-Israel deal?
Rumors published in Israeli media about a tripartite deal including Morocco, the US, and Israel also caused a wave of outrage across Morocco.
According to Israeli news outlets, the three countries have made an agreement according to which Morocco will obtain US recognition for its sovereignty over Western Sahara, in exchange for the normalization of Moroccan-Israeli relations.
However, in an implicit effort to deny the news, Bourita flew to Jordan to meet with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
During the meeting, Bourita conveyed a message of support and solidarity from King Mohammed VI, renewing Rabat’s commitment to the Palestinian cause.
The Moroccan FM expressed satisfaction with the relations between Palestine and Morocco and expressed his honor at meeting the Palestinian president.
