Moroccan Media Shifts Language on Israel Following Diplomatic Normalization

"The state media have changed their agenda. Since the normalization of relations with Israel, the word ’occupation’ is hardly used anymore. The street identifies with the Palestinian issue, but apart from the left and Islamist groups, whose influence has diminished over the past year, I think that most people, the silent majority, are actually with Israel, in the sense that there is no hatred towards it. There is curiosity; people want to learn more about Israeli culture, the language. Jews have always been part of our country and our history," said Mohamed Abido in an interview with Israel Hayom.

This week, Israel reiterated its support for the Moroccanness of the Sahara. For the director of the Moroccan Center for Tolerance and Interfaith Dialogue, this is a major boon for the kingdom on the international and national scenes. "The fact that Israel has openly declared that the Western Sahara belongs to Morocco is a huge development in which Israel has chosen to take a courageous position. This will encourage other countries to follow suit and declare that they also support Morocco’s policy," he commented, stressing that the kingdom understands the Hebrew state when it talks about the Iranian threat.

"Iran is also a threat to Morocco and has fought us by proxy," he added, noting that Tehran is extending its tentacles in Africa, which have reached the Moroccan border. He is referring to the Polisario Front, which disputes the Western Sahara with the kingdom and claims its independence. "[...] and that’s not all. The Iranians wanted to bring Shiism back to Morocco and threaten the social fabric of the country. This is a dangerous thing," concluded Mohamed Abido.