Doha – The Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization and the National Working Group for Palestine announced yesterday they are filing a legal complaint against members of a Moroccan youth delegation that visited Israel during the recent war on Gaza. The complaint will be submitted to the Public Prosecutor of the Court of Appeal in Rabat on Wednesday.
In a joint statement, the two groups said the visit by the Moroccan youths “to declare their support for the Zionist war army and its massacres” took place “at the height of the war of extermination against the Palestinian people in Gaza under official auspices of the Zionist government and the presidency of the Zionist entity.” They argued this constituted serious crimes that require legal and judicial accountability.
According to the statement, the Observatory had previously demanded in several press releases and statements by its officials that all those involved in this “dangerous act” should face consequences. The groups said they decided to file the complaint only after gathering data and conducting legal consultations.
The visit in question was organized by the Israeli “Sharaka Foundation” last July, which said it aimed to promote “tolerance, coexistence and peace” between Israel and Morocco. However, the visit sparked outrage among many Moroccans who viewed it as an attempt to whitewash Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Israel’s genocide has claimed the lives of at least 41,000 people in Gaza, according to the Gazan health ministry. The catastrophic death toll and harrowing scenes of destruction in Gaza have consistently fueled a groundswell of pro-Palestinian protests across Morocco, with many taking to the streets and social media to demand an end to the kingdom’s normalization of ties with Israel.
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The Sharaka Foundation defended the trip, telling Morocco World News it featured visits to holy sites, meetings with community leaders, and educational activities “designed to build lasting friendships and networks that support peace.” But critics argue the timing showed Moroccan officials’ disregard for Palestinian suffering and public opinion.
Public outrage escalated when it emerged that some participants were students at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane. Thousands signed a petition launched by an Al Akhawayn student calling for those involved to be expelled for “tarnishing the reputation of not only [Al Akhawayn students], but of all Moroccans as well.”
Morocco formally resumed low-level diplomatic relations with Israel in late 2020 in a deal brokered by the Trump administration. The controversial move reversed nearly two decades of official estrangement between the two countries following the outbreak of the Second Intifada in 2000. However, anti-normalization sentiment remains widespread in Moroccan society.
The Moroccan government has not commented on the legal complaint or the broader controversy surrounding the Israel visit and university partnerships with Israeli institutions.
