Rabat, Morocco (Agencies): Tens of thousands of Moroccans flooded the streets of the capital, Rabat, on Sunday in one of the country’s largest demonstrations in months. The protesters voiced their outrage against Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza and denounced U.S. support for the 18-month-long war, which has devastated Palestinian communities.
Demonstrators marched through the city, trampling on Israeli flags, carrying banners depicting assassinated Hamas leaders, and brandishing posters criticizing U.S. President Donald Trump alongside imagery of displaced Palestinians. Organizers condemned the Israeli military campaign, which has killed over 1,000 Palestinians and displaced hundreds of thousands following a recent intensification of air and ground attacks.
Since the war began, an estimated 50,700 Palestinians have lost their lives, and over 115,300 have been wounded, according to reports. Sunday’s protests in Morocco echoed similar demonstrations across the Middle East and North Africa, including Tunisia, Yemen, and Morocco’s economic hub, Casablanca.
Anger towards the United States was palpable, particularly over Trump’s controversial proposal to forcibly relocate Palestinians to facilitate the redevelopment of Gaza—a plan that Arab nations have called “ethnic cleansing” and rights groups have vehemently condemned. Protesters also criticized U.S. crackdowns on pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses.
The protests saw participation from a broad coalition of groups, some of whom expressed lingering resentment over Morocco’s 2020 decision to normalize relations with Israel by signing the Abraham Accords. The accords, brokered by the Trump administration, established diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab nations, including Morocco, in exchange for economic agreements.
While Moroccan authorities tolerate most demonstrations, activists have faced arrests for actions targeting foreign embassies or criticizing the monarchy. Despite official normalization with Israel, public sentiment in Morocco, as in many Arab states, remains overwhelmingly unsympathetic towards Israeli policies.