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Erdogan vs. Trump : The PJD ignores a campaign launched online to boycott US products

On social media, Moroccans are urged to boycott American products to support Turkey. Meanwhile, the Justice and Development party ignores the campaign.

US president Donald Trump and and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan ./Ph. DR
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The Justice and Development party’s activists have been quick to respond to the current crisis Turkey is facing. Through social media, they have rushed to show support for Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in his war against Donald Trump.

Moroccans were showered lately with hashtags and messages, urging them to boycott American products and inviting them to back the Turkish president.

The campaign has targeted Moroccans living abroad too, asking them to sell their dollars and euros to support the Turkish currency. «By supporting Turkey, you support the Islamic Ummah», wrote a social media user.

PJD : Activism vs. silence

The crisis between Ankara and Washington, two strategic NATO allies, has brought Islamists together on social media. Moroccan Arabic-language newspapers such as Alyaoum 24, Al3omk and Houwiyapresses have even ignored their conflicts to back Turkey.

In fact, they have covered the situation in Ankara, following the developments of the case. They have also paid close attention to the promises made by the Qatari Emir, Sheilkh Tamim. The latter said his country is ready to invest 15 billion dollars in Turkey.

On the other hand, the Justice and Development Party is still not ready to break its silence on the matter. And the party’s members who are close to Prime Minister Saadeddine El Othamni have refused to address Turkish’s crisis.

It seems that the Islamist party is learning from what happened five years ago in Egypt, when its members decided to back the country’s sacked president Mohamed Morsi. At the time, Morocco supported the operation led by Marshal Abdelfattah al-Sissi.

Indeed, on the 5th of July, 2013, King Mohammed VI sent a letter to President Adly Mansour, congratulating him on the transition.

However, PJD member Hammad Kabbaj, who is also a known Salafist, said he was convinced that Turkey «will emerge victorious» from its conflict with the Trump administration because of the «religious qualities» of its president. Following the footsteps of other Islamists in his party, Kabbaj praised the Emir of Qatar for his initiative, aiming to boost the Turkish economy.

A few years ago, when he was part of the «Association of Koranic Schools» headed by his former mentor Mohamed El Maghraoui, Kabbaj used to praise officials in Saudi Arabia.

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