Agadir – Morocco has once again made clear its position on the Palestine-Israel conflict, with the country’s African Union representative reiterating Rabat’s “unwavering support” for Palestinians.
In the wake of newly established bilateral ties with Israel, the Moroccan government has been facing criticism for supposedly abandoning the Palestinian cause. In response, Rabat has repeatedly voiced its support for Palestine, most recently during the 41st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee (PRC) of the African Union (AU).
During this week’s 41st Ordinary Session of the Permanent Representatives Committee of the African Union, Mohamed Arrouchi, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, said that Morocco considers the Palestinian cause as a top priority and will not waver in the defense of the rights of the Palestinian people.
Stressing that Morocco has always stood alongside Palestine, Arouchi argued the North African country will continue to advocate for Palestinians’ rights. He also said that the country will continue to work towards achieving just and lasting peace in the Middle East.
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The Moroccan diplomat also underscored the need to preserve the special status of Al-Quds (Jerusalem), advocating for the multi-religious character of a city considered as a holy site for all the three Abrahamic religions.
Arouchi’s comments add to the growing list of statements and moves that suggest that, despite its diplomatic rapprochement with Israel, Morocco has no intention of “abandoning” Palestinians.
During a phone call with Palestine’s Mahmoud Abbas on December 10, 2020, King Mohammed VI assured him that “Morocco always places the Palestinian issue in the rank of the Moroccan Sahara issue, and that Morocco’s work to consolidate its Moroccanness will never be, neither today nor in the future, at the expense of the Palestinian people’s struggle for their legitimate rights.”
Most recently, in response to an invitation to visit Tel Aviv, the Moroccan King notified Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the visit could only happen upon resumption of dialogue between Israel and Palestine. According to the Israeli news outlet Maariv, the King was adamant about Morocco’s “consistent, constant and unchanged” support for the Palestinian cause.
