Moroccans condemn Israeli participation in Marrakech judo championship

A number of Moroccan groups have condemned Israeli participation in the Open Weight World Judo Championships starting on Thursday in Marrakech, Anadolu has reported.

In a joint statement, a number of Moroccan political and student bodies, including the ruling Justice and Development Party, condemned the arrival of Israeli judo player Ori Sasson in the country. Sasson waited until Wednesday to receive an official confirmation letter for his participation in the championship so that he could travel to Morocco.

The statement opposing his participation in the championship described Israel as a “rapacious entity” and called upon Moroccan government institutions and other interested parties to deal with the issue of “increasing manifestations of normalisation with the Israeli entity and to take the needed measures to stop it.” Sasson’s participation in the championship, the groups said, is a “provocation” to the people of Morocco.

“This contradicts the official policy of the state,” noted the joint statement, “the legal national reference and the international obligations of Morocco in the framework of the Arab League which does not allow normalisation with the Zionist entity.” All Moroccans were called upon to “counter the attempts to normalise relations with [Israel].”

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