Morocco: how Gaza broke the dream of Makhzen

Tags : Morocco, Israel, normalization, Gaza, Hamas, Palestine, Western Sahara, Maghreb,

According to Driss Ghali, a Moroccan writer and political science graduate, « Hamas’ attack on Israel stopped the normalization of relations between Israel and Morocco ». The Moroccan population has chosen its side, without however supporting terrorism ». On the other hand, the political class knows that Israel is a necessary ally to assert the power of the kingdom in the Maghreb ».

For Ghali, the operation led by Hamas on October 7, 2023, « toppled the table in the Middle East and dealt an extremely hard blow to one of the most precious policies for the Cherifian kingdom: normalization with Israel ». This promising but fragile policy of rapprochement, which, according to him, was blown by the shock wave caused by the Hamas attack on October 7.

Interesting detail unveiled by Ghali in this article published on the site Causeur. The situation surrounding the Hamas attack was characterized by « a kind of intoxication floated » in Makhzen circles who believed themselves « finally freed from their traditional relationship with France and Western Europe ». With an ally the size of Israel, Morocco « no longer needed to accept the arrogance of Paris ».

The « enchanted parenthesis » created by the support of the Moroccan people to normalization with Tel Aviv « shattered » on October 7 with the offensive of Al Qassam fighters that exposed « the blind spots of normalization, starting with the relegation to the background of the Palestinian cause ».

To chart the way forward with Israel, Rabat needs the Palestinian dispute to be resolved with a view to putting to « the thesis of the «at the same time» that Morocco can simultaneously be the best friend of the Palestinians and the strategic partner of the Israelis. Since 7 October, the illusion of equidistance has dissipated in the dust of bombs and missiles ».

Not having been invited to participate in the normalization debate since the beginning, the Moroccan people have seized «social networks to support Hamas and express its rejection of normalization». “Across the way,” says Driss Ghali, “no one to answer and argue back. Nothing to say or move forward. As soon as the propaganda period ended, as soon as the courtiers withdrew, silence was imposed. Normalization turns out to be a fragile object that even the smallest pebble can break.” And with it, the dream of one day controlling the entire territory of Western Sahara, the main reason for normalization with the Jewish state.

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