History : The times when Morocco showed support for the Palestinian cause

The international community is commemorating today, 28 November, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. A day to show respect and support the Palestinian people, who suffered trying to face the Israeli occupation since the 1948 exodus.

In Morocco, the position of the royal family and the Moroccan people has always been known to the rest of the world : «An unconditional support for the Palestinian cause», since the Arab-Israeli war fought on October 6, 1973. 6,000 Moroccan soldiers from the Royal Armed Forces (FAR) participated to the Yom Kippur war alongside the Syrian comrades in arms.

At the same time, the Kingdom, under the reign of King Hassan II, had led several attempts to mediate between the Arab countries and Israel. From 1977 to 1978, Morocco played the role of a middleman through the holding of secret meetings between the two parties on its soil.

For his part, King Mohammed VI had provided material and moral support for the Palestinian cause since the day he ascended to the throne. Apart from Morocco’s positions following the attacks targeting the Palestinians, the monarch had repeatedly ordered sending emergency grants to the people affected by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict at the Gaza strip.

Indeed, in July 2014, an emergency budget of $ 5 million was granted to the Palestinian people after Israel raided the Gaza Strip. Two years ago, King Mohammed VI agreed to pay for the furnishing of a higher educational institution in Gaza, with a budget of $1.3 million. More than that, Morocco has established in 2012 a Moroccan medico-surgical hospital campaign in Gaza to provide health care for the victims.

United to defend the Palestinian cause

Financially speaking, Morocco, which chairs the Al-Quds Committee and its agency, Bayt Mal Al-Quds Asharif, remains one of the few countries known for honoring their commitments helping the sister nation. In May, the Palestinian Foreign Minister, Riyad al-Malki, said in a speech delivered during the International Conference on Al-Quds Al-Sharif held in Dakar that :

Meanwhile, Moroccans were there to provide moral support for the Palestinians and several demonstrations were organized to denounce the Israeli occupation. For example, November the 29th is one of the days that remind Moroccans of the struggle of these people. On the 15th of May, protestors in Morocco take the streets every year responding to the calls of the Moroccan Democratic Network of Solidarity with the Peoples.

While the international community has been denouncing, for several years, the Israeli occupation of Palestine, Morocco was there to show support in a tangible way. Unfortunately, the Palestinian cause is still making headlines and the families residing in the West Bank or in the Gaza Strip are still unable to see their dream come true.