Moroccan opposition leader: We are not Israelis; we support Palestine, King, government and people

Moroccan Justice and Development Party (PJD) Secretary-General and former prime minister Abdelilah Benkirane has returned to the forefront of Morocco’s political scene with strong criticism of Israel and normalisation, stressing that Moroccans’ identity and position on the Palestinian issue cannot be reduced to positions calling for closer ties with Israel.

Speaking at a large party event on Sunday to celebrate its results in the latest parliamentary elections, Benkirane said Moroccans “are not Israelis”, stressing that they are “Muslims, Arabs and Amazigh” and that they stand with the Palestinian people and their cause.

The former Moroccan prime minister stressed that, in his view, support for Palestine is not based solely on political calculations, but is also linked to Moroccan identity and the long-standing popular position on the Palestinian issue.

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Referring to a previous article by Moroccan journalist and publisher Ahmed Charai entitled “We are all Israelis”, which sparked widespread controversy in Morocco, Benkirane said: “We are not Israelis, we are Muslims, Arabs and Amazigh, and we support Palestine and the Palestinians, King, government and people.”

Benkirane’s remarks come as the PJD has regained much of its electoral presence, winning 54 of the 395 seats in the latest parliamentary elections, compared with 13 seats in the 2021 elections, returning it to parliament’s opposition benches as a significant political force.

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