History : When Morocco helped Nelson Mandela during his fight against the Apartheid regime

In 1962, Morocco delivered weapons for the ANC fighters. Nelson Mandela had even spent a few months in the Kingdom. Abdelkrim El Khatib played a crucial role in bringing both Hassan II and Mandela together. The two men met, for the second time, in 1994 in Rabat. While in prison for 27 years, Morocco moved away from the ANC and stood closer next to the South African regime.

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

On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, observed by the United Nations on November the 29th, Yabiladi seeks the opportunity to recall all the times Morocco has shown support for the Palestinian cause. Starting from the Yom Kippur War, the kingdom has become one of the countries committed to defend the Palestinian people expelled in 1948. Flash back.

12 November 1984 : When Morocco withdrew from the Organization of African Unity

On the 12th of November 1984, Morocco withdrew from the Organization of African Unity, during a summit held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Protesting against admitting the Polisario Front, Morocco left the Panafrican body for 33 years. During this period, the organization was named the African Union. Flashback.

History : When King Hassan II left the Queen of England waiting for him under the sun

In a visit to Morocco, the Queen of England was angered by King Hassan II's tardiness. In a book by Robert Hardman, the details of this trip that was later named «the tour from hell», were revealed pointing out at a part of the sovereign’s personality.

1987, when Muammar Gaddafi was planning to assassinate King Hassan II

On the 20th of October 2011, the Libyan President, revolutionary militant and political theorist was captured and killed by rebel militia from Misrata. A terrible ending for Muammar Gaddafi, who had planned in the past to assassinate Arab leaders. King Hassan II was also targeted by the Libyan colonel, who assigned the Palestinian terrorist, Abu Nidal to conduct the operation. Details.

October 1963, when Jacqueline Kennedy visited Morocco one month before her husband’s assassination

In October 1963, the wife of the 35th US president arrived in Marrakech in one of her first private visits to Morocco. Jacqueline Kennedy’s trip to the Kingdom came just a month before her husband’s assassination and a few months after King Hassan II’s trip to Washington. Flashback.

Kippur War : Were Moroccan soldiers betrayed behind enemy lines by Syrian forces?

As part of the eight Arab countries that fought the October war, Morocco sent the one and only battalion it possesses in 1973 to Syria. Once there, Moroccan soldiers fought bravely on the Golan Heights even though they were betrayed by their Syrian counterparts. Flashback.

6th of October 1973 : When Morocco participated to the Yom Kippur war

Morocco was one of the eight Arab countries that participated to the Yom Kippur war, fought between from the 6th to teh 25th of October 1973. King Hassan II ordered Moroccan soldiers to take part of one of the deadliest Arab-Israeli wars in the history of the Middle East. Flashback.

History : When King Hassan II forbade Moroccans from celebrating Eid al-Adha

In 1963, 1981 and 1996, the late king Hassan II ordered Moroccans to call off Eid al-Adha. Not celebrating the annual feast was due to several reasons such as the economic crisis, drought and the state of the herd; however, these explanations convinced Moroccans only twice.

History : Abdelhalim Hafed’s astounding story about the 1971 attempted coup d’état

In Morocco, Egyptian singer Abdelhalim Hafed lived one of the scariest moments of his life. Invited by King Hassan II, he was held in Rabat’s main radio station taken over by rebels during the 1971 attempted coup d’état.