Protests Erupt Against Israeli Minister's Visit
The recent visit of Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev to Marrakech has sparked significant outrage and protests across Morocco, with calls for her expulsion and refusal of her presence. Various Moroccan organizations opposing normalization have reiterated their stance against any Israeli presence in the country.
Regev arrived in Morocco on August 19, 2023, aboard the inaugural direct flight from Tel Aviv to Marrakech, facilitated by Arkia Airlines, marking the resumption of air routes between the two cities after a three-year hiatus. According to her office, the visit is of a special nature and is expected to last until August 24. Regev is accompanied by the Director-General of the Israeli Ministry of Transport, the Director of the Public Transport Authority, and an advisor. This marks Regev's third visit to Morocco during her current term in office.
In Marrakech, demonstrators gathered in a protest organized by the Moroccan Initiative for Support and Advocacy to denounce Regev's visit and demand her departure. Protesters displayed anti-normalization slogans, including "Minister/Criminal, get out! Morocco is a free land," and "The people want the end of normalization." The demonstration was a hurried response to Regev's visit, coinciding with the resumption of flights between Tel Aviv and Marrakech, reflecting the residents' absolute rejection of normalization and all forms of Israeli presence.
Imad El-Diouri, coordinator of the Moroccan Initiative for Support and Advocacy in Marrakech, stated that the protest was organized in immediate response to Regev's visit, emphasizing that the citizens of Marrakech expressed their disapproval of her presence amidst ongoing Israeli crimes against Palestinians. He reiterated calls for the closure of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, labeling it as a "stain on our nation." Additionally, the protest coincided with the 57th anniversary of the burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, with protesters expressing their rejection of what they termed a "campaign of desecration" led by extremist Israeli politician Itamar Ben Gvir, considering the entry of Israelis into the mosque's courtyards a violation of its sanctity.
The protest, held at the Morocco Telecom Square in the Gueliz district, saw participation from various political factions, activists, and human rights defenders, alongside local citizens opposed to the Israeli minister’s presence in their city. In Rabat, a separate protest took place at the Parliament Square, organized by the National Working Group for Palestine, where numerous activists voiced their rejection of Regev's visit and normalization with the Israeli occupation.
During the demonstration, Rashid Flouli, coordinator of the Moroccan Initiative for Support and Advocacy, stated that the protests are a continuation of the ongoing Israeli crimes in Palestinian territories. He characterized Regev's presence in Morocco as a part of the accelerated normalization process, highlighting her notorious statements, including a previous remark comparing the sound of the call to prayer to "the barking of dogs." Flouli emphasized that her criminal record extends to her personal presence in May, alongside Ben Gvir, during the torture and threats against Moroccan activists participating in the Freedom Flotilla, stressing the need to refuse to roll out the red carpet for such perpetrators in Marrakech.
Media reports have captured Regev's presence in locations where activists were detained, where she used inflammatory language against the participants in the flotilla, accusing them of supporting terrorism. Flouli indicated that the protest against Regev's visit would not be limited to Marrakech, announcing plans for further demonstrations in the coming days, including one in Tangier and another in Tetouan on Sunday.
Legal Action Against Miri Regev in Morocco
Rashid Flouli also pointed out that legal action is underway targeting Regev, stating, "On the legal front, the legal committee of the National Working Group submitted an official complaint to the Attorney General at the Rabat Court of Appeal," alongside a lawsuit pending before the administrative court aimed at holding the Israeli transport minister accountable for her involvement in the torture and abduction of Moroccan citizens during the Freedom Flotilla. This follows a previous legal action against Regev during her visit to Morocco in February 2025, when the National Working Group for Palestine announced they filed a complaint with the Rabat Court of Appeal, coinciding with an urgent petition before the administrative court aimed at preventing the Israeli minister from entering Morocco. However, the administrative court in Rabat rejected the urgent petition on February 18, 2025.
Discussing the legal process, Flouli emphasized the strong rejection of Miri Regev's reception in Morocco, stating, "We vehemently reject these criminals using their Moroccan origins to desecrate our land. As they face prosecution in European and American capitals, it is even more imperative that they are not welcomed in Morocco." He affirmed that their peaceful legal and civil struggle continues, with announcements of upcoming actions expected soon.
Flouli considers the reopening of the new Israeli liaison office in Rabat a "rejected breach," asserting that public protests demanding an end to normalization and the closure of the office have continued across dozens of Moroccan cities. He accused Moroccan officials of ignoring public demands, stating that "the ongoing protests and demands from the Moroccan street over the past three years have been met with deaf ears," linking this to Morocco's stance on the Gaza war and its relations with Israel.
He concluded by reaffirming the continuing civil movement against normalization, asserting that Regev's presence in Morocco represents a "Zionist breach" that does not serve the Palestinian cause or Morocco's national interests. The protest in Rabat was also called by the National Working Group for Palestine, coinciding with the 59th anniversary of the Al-Aqsa Mosque's burning. Flouli remarked that this anniversary serves as a renewed occasion to continuously denounce the ongoing crimes of the Zionist entity in our occupied territories, particularly targeting Islamic and Christian sanctities, foremost among them the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Regev's visit coincides with the return of direct flights between Israel and Marrakech after a three-year hiatus. Arkia Airlines resumed the direct route between Tel Aviv and Marrakech with the flight that brought Regev to the red city, a move that has received extensive media coverage in Israel. The resumption of air connectivity does not stop at Arkia; Israir Airlines has also announced the resumption of its direct flights to Marrakech starting September 1, 2026, with one flight per week until the end of October. Israeli media reported that the return of this route comes after a long absence of direct flights to Morocco, providing an additional option for Israeli travelers wishing to visit the Kingdom.
As reported by thevoice.ma.
