Protesters Target Morocco’s Strategic Ports In Effort To Sever Ties With Israel

In Tangier, Morocco, activists have intensified protests against the government’s decision to normalize relations with Israel. Demonstrators, including agricultural engineer Ismail Lghazaoui, rallied against a ship carrying fighter jet components to Israel. Lghazaoui, previously jailed for participating in a boycott campaign, joined renewed protests after his release, despite facing government backlash.

Morocco’s normalization with Israel, part of the 2020 Abraham Accords, has sparked public resentment, evident in widespread protests during the Israel-Hamas conflict. The gap between government actions and public sentiment has widened, with the public expressing opposition to the monarchy’s support for Israel.

Protests have targeted Moroccan ports, urging officials to block ships carrying military supplies to Israel. Al Adl wal Ihsan, an Islamist movement, and labor unions have joined forces in demanding that vessels suspected of transporting weapons to Israel be barred from docking in Morocco. The demonstrations have drawn attention to the public’s discontent with normalization and growing ties between Morocco and Israel.

Despite constitutional provisions for freedom of expression in Morocco, criticizing the monarchy can lead to prosecution. Activists have faced imprisonment for implicating the monarchy in social media posts or participating in boycotts against businesses linked to Israel. The crackdown on dissent has not quelled public anger or activists’ calls for change.

As protests at the ports gain momentum, activists and labor unions have called for stricter controls on military cargo passing through Morocco. While companies like Maersk have denied direct shipments of weapons to conflict zones, activists remain vigilant in monitoring cargo passing through Moroccan ports. The public’s defiance against normalization with Israel has revealed deep-seated discontent with the government’s policies and decisions.