Escalating strikes in the Gulf have disrupted flights and daily life, directly impacting Moroccans in the region, with some returning home and others choosing to stay despite ongoing risks. Testimonies shared with Yabiladi reveal journeys marked by fear, financial strain, and growing uncertainty, as the crisis shifts from a security threat to a risk of job loss and instability.
125 Moroccan soldiers deserted during the Indochina War. They escaped death seeking refuge in Vietnam to lead a miserable life away from their country for several years after being repatriated in January 1972. Flashback.
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.
The International Crisis Group highlights the fragile status quo between Morocco and Algeria, where issues like arms races, online disinformation, and Polisario militancy risk conflict escalation. The report emphasizes the role of the U.S. and European actors in preventing military confrontation and fostering dialogue for peace.
Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has presented a new initiative to end the war in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon, proposing that Morocco and other Arab signatories to the Abraham Accords be given a role in a «future separation» of the Palestinian Authority from Israel. However, the far-right Israeli government, which rejects a two-state solution, is not expected to react to the initiative.
Several Moroccans, including Al-Yaqoubi family, remain trapped in Gaza amidst ongoing Israeli attacks, facing repeated displacement and dire conditions. They have appealed to the Moroccan government for assistance in leaving the Gaza Strip due to the lack of stability, security, and basic necessities.