Enrico Macias Performs in Casablanca Amid Pro-Palestinian Protests

While the Franco-Algerian singer was performing in concert at the Megarama, the pro-Palestinian activists made themselves heard outside, waving placards reading "Jerusalem for the Palestinians", "Out with the Zionists", or simply "Get out Macias".

He had actually promised two weeks ago to come to Morocco: "My victory will be to go sing in Casablanca because I know the Moroccan people, the Moroccan public," he had explained. "For me, I compare Morocco to Andalusia of old before the advent of Isabella the Catholic... It’s not for a few individuals who want to do me harm that I’m going to change my mind about Morocco’s tolerance. I couldn’t care less about this boycott threat..."

The protests against his presence are due to some of his positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. According to Sion Assidon, a Moroccan human rights activist: "Enrico Macias is an unconditional defender of the occupation of Palestine and especially of its army. He is heavily involved in an association (Migdal) that supports the soldiers of the border guard unit (Magav) known for its war crimes against the civilian population."

On the other hand, another voice, that of Gilles-William Goldnagel, the essayist who declared to him during the same debate on Les Grandes Gueules: "It is a huge injustice towards Enrico Macias because you have to know that he has been criticized even within part of the pro-Israeli Jewish community because he has always sung for peace. He even sang once for Yasser Arafat. If there is someone who has gotten involved for the Israeli-Arab peace, it is Enrico Macias..."

In any case, the concert did take place on Thursday, February 14 at the Megarama. It would even have been very applauded. And it started with these words: "I am very happy to sing in the country of tolerance, the country of Andalusia before Isabella the Catholic".