Morocco backs Trump’s Board of Peace in Gaza
Morocco’s diplomacy looks set to flourish on two fronts, the US and Israel, as King Mohammed VI backs US President Donald Trump’s peace plan for Gaza, according to the pro-Moroccan North Africa Post and agencies on February 19th.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington on February 18th, Morocco’s Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita indicated that King Mohammed VI is committed to securing peace and reconstruction in the wartorn Palestinian enclave.
He stated that “Morocco is ready to deploy police officers and to train Gaza police”, and “will deploy senior officers within the joint military command” of the stabilisation force in Gaza.
Bourita also emphasised the importance of the Palestinian Authority (PA) as an option for Gaza’s governance, despite the PA being controversial amongst the Palestinian people over allegations of corruption and nepotism.
It was reported that King Mohammed VI had accepted Trump’s invitation to join the Board on January 19th; the King also chairs the Al-Quds Committee, which seeks to defend the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants.
His acceptance came amid concerns over the lack of Palestinian representation on the Board, which some critics have labelled a colonial endeavour.
Furthermore, some have argued that by demanding the expulsion of Hamas, as stipulated by the US-backed ceasefire plan, the Palestinians’ right to self-determination is undermined.
Despite these concerns, in recent years, the Moroccan government has sought to normalise ties with Israel under the US-backed Abraham Accords.
However, the Moroccan public has condemned normalisation and its perceived complicity in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed over 71,000 people since 2023.
On January 9th, it was reported that Morocco and Israel had reached a defence partnership in which Israeli defence contractors would provide military support to Morocco.
This is despite concerns that defence contractors, including Elbit Systems and Rafael, are complicit in crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Although the Moroccan government has publicly condemned Israel’s war on Gaza, the Kingdom has maintained close ties to Israel for decades.
Furthermore, King Hassan II, the father of Mohammed VI, allegedly facilitated the emigration of Moroccan Jews to Israel. He also secretly met with then-Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres in 1986.
Israel encourages emigration as part of a broader plan to maintain a Jewish demographic majority in Israel and the occupied territories.
North Africa Post and agencies, Maghrebi.org
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