PJD: Criticism of Morocco's ties to Israel only based on pro-Palestine support

Morocco’s largest Islamist party, the Justice and Development Party (PJD), has denied having an electoral agenda in its criticism of government ties to Israel.

Morocco’s Royal Court denounced on Monday the “irresponsible” act of the PJD after the party accused the Foreign Ministry of bias in favour of the occupation state of Israel.

“The General Secretariat of the PJD recently issued a statement which included some irresponsible abuses and serious fallacies as for the relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Israel, and linking these relations to the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian territories,” the ministry said.

In response, the PJD said it “practices and holds positions and statements which are compatible with what the constitution authorises for any political party, as parties are established and practice their activities freely within the framework of respect for the constitution and law, and the framework of freedom of opinion and expression guaranteed in all its forms under the constitution.”

The PJD, it added, is “systematic in supporting the Palestinian cause and the Palestinian people and rejecting normalisation” between Morocco and Israel. Adding that its criticism of such relations are not backed by an electoral agenda.

The statement said the party “will remain as it was always standing with his majesty to defend the territorial integrity, national sovereignty and the highest interests of our country according to the inclusive principles of the constitution.”

Criticism of the foreign minister, “who appeared as a defender of the Zionist entity in some African and European meetings”, comes because he is “a member of the government who may be criticised like the rest of his colleagues in the government, and to be monitored according to the government programme,” it explained.

READ: Morocco Palace asks Islamist Party to stop criticising ties with Israel