Morr Link, a scholarship holder at the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), stated that “key aspects of Israeli-Moroccan relations remain unaffected by the war in Gaza–bilateral trade continues, and security ties remain intact.”
Titled “The War in Gaza: Hamas-Israeli-Moroccan Normalization,” the report assessed the repercussions of the Gaza war on the normalization process between Rabat and Tel Aviv.
It notes that other important aspects, most notably diplomatic ties, official visits, and tourism, have been significantly harmed by the conflict.
“This pattern of fluctuating relations during periods of escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not new,” mentioned the INSS report, stressing that “Israel would do well to remember that Morocco’s support for the Palestinians may extend beyond lip service.”
In this regard, Link recalled that Rabat had previously severed ties with Israel due to the escalation of the Middle East conflict during the Second Intifada, a rift that took nearly twenty years to renew.
The report additionally indicated a sharp decline in popular Arab support for normalization with Israel, down from 31% in 2022 to only 13%. This drop is attributed to the Arab world’s view, including Morocco’s, of the ongoing war in Gaza.
It noted that “this marks a significant shift in Morocco, which previously had high levels of support for normalization compared to other Arab countries like Egypt and Jordan.”
The Israeli Insitute also mentioned that 26% of Moroccans commonly describe the events in Gaza as a massacre, 24% as a war, 14% as a genocide, and another 14% refer to it as a mass killing.
It further noted that this trend exacerbates the tension between Morocco’s official policy of maintaining ties with Israel, albeit at a low profile, and the increasing public and political opposition.
The report stated that the Kingdom has allowed public demonstrations in support of the Palestinians, an issue that has gained significant support in Morocco and in the Arab world in general.
It underscored that over the years, the Royal Palace has consistently reiterated its support for the Palestinians to establish a state within the 1967 borders, alongside Israel.
Shame on our leaders for maintaining this normalization with our enemy