Moroccan opposition criticises “Board of Peace” involvement

Controversy over Morocco’s involvement in the so-called “Board of Peace” in Gaza has continued to mount, with an opposition leader criticising remarks by Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, according to the Middle East Monitor and agencies on February 27th.

Abdelilah Benkirane, Secretary-General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and former Prime Minister, criticised Bourita’s remarks concerning Morocco’s reported leadership of a programme to tackle hate speech in Gaza under the US-backed framework.

On Facebook, Benkirane criticised Bourita’s promotion of “coexistence” under the current circumstances, likely referencing Israel’s ongoing occupation of the Gaza Strip and plans to establish Jewish settlements in the Palestinian enclave.

He argued that Bourita’s statements risked being interpreted by Palestinians as calls to accept Israeli occupation and subjugation.

Similarly, Benkirane argued that Israel is not genuinely committed to coexistence, likely due to Israel’s repeated ceasefire violations in Gaza and persistent attacks against Palestinians in the occupied territories.

Israeli politicians have also expressed an increasingly blatant disregard for Palestinian life and actively encouraged Jewish settlement, despite settlement expansion being illegal under international law.

The “Board of Peace“, which will oversee the reconstruction and governance of Gaza, has faced condemnation over the apparent lack of Palestinian representation, with some labelling the plan as a colonial endeavour.

Some have argued that by demanding Hamas’ expulsion from governance, as stipulated by the US-backed ceasefire, the Palestinians’ right to self-determination is undermined.

King Mohammed VI accepted an invitation to join the Board on January 19th, a move condemned by pro-Palestinian groups in Morocco.

Activists cite the involvement of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant over his alleged role in Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed at least 71,000 people since 2023.

Furthermore, Morocco’s normalisation of ties with Israel under the US-brokered Abraham Accords has been controversial for the Moroccan public, especially since the countries have strengthened military ties through a defence partnership in January.

Normalisation has continued despite concerns that Israeli defence contractors, such as Elbit Systems and Rafael, are complicit in war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Despite publicly condemning Israeli war crimes, Morocco has maintained close ties to Israel for decades. In 1986, King Hassan II, the father of Mohammed VI, secretly met with then-Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres in Rabat.

Hassan II was also accused of facilitating the emigration of Moroccan Jews to Israel, which the latter has encouraged due to its aim of maintaining a Jewish demographic majority in Israel.

Middle East Monitor and agencies, Middle East Eye and agencies, Maghrebi.org