Tens of thousands of Moroccans participated in one of the largest protests in the country in months, gathering in the capital Rabat to express their anger against Israel’s attack on Gaza and its people, as well as their dissatisfaction with the United States’ support for the 18-month-long conflict.

Protesters filled the streets of Rabat, trampled on Israeli flags, and waved banners depicting assassinated Hamas figures, as well as posters showing displaced Palestinians and US President Donald Trump.

Organizers criticized Israel’s military campaign, which has resulted in over 1,000 Palestinian deaths and hundreds of thousands of displaced people since a recent ceasefire was broken due to intense air and ground attacks.

Since the conflict began, more than 50,700 Palestinians have been killed and over 115,300 have been injured.

The protests in Morocco were part of larger demonstrations across the Middle East and North Africa, including Tunisia, Yemen, and Morocco’s economic hub, Casablanca.

Protesters expressed their wrath towards the US, particularly regarding Trump’s proposal to relocate Palestinians to make room for the redevelopment of Gaza. The plan has been condemned by Arab nations and human rights groups, labeling it as ethnic cleansing. Protests also denounced the US crackdown on pro-Palestinian activities on university campuses.

‘Gaza is being wiped off the map’

Many Moroccans view Trump’s stance as a continuation of policies implemented by his predecessor, former US President Joe Biden.

“[Trump] has made the war worse,” said Mohammed Toussi, who traveled from Casablanca with his family to join the protest. He spoke to the Associated Press news agency, arguing that the policies of both Trump and Biden differ in tone but not in substance.

Abdelhak El Arabi, an adviser to Morocco’s former conservative prime minister, said public outrage has intensified as the war continues.

“It’s not a war — Gaza is being wiped off the map,” the 62-year-old resident of Tamesna said, speaking to AP.

A broad coalition of groups participated in the protests. Although Moroccan authorities usually allow demonstrations, they have arrested activists accused of targeting foreign embassies or linking their criticism to the monarchy.

Many demonstrators remain upset about Morocco’s 2020 decision to normalize ties with Israel. This move sparked controversy at the time and continues to fuel discontent.

Morocco signed the Abraham Accords, a foreign policy initiative from the first Trump administration under which the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, and Sudan normalized their relations with Israel in exchange for various diplomatic and financial agreements.

Despite this, public sentiment towards Israel in Morocco, as in many Arab states, has seldom been conciliatory.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/6/mass-protests-in-morocco-against-israels-war-in-gaza-and-us-support?traffic_source=rss