Massive Demonstration in Rabat for Palestinian Support
On April 19, 2026, a significant gathering of over 5,000 Moroccans took to the streets in the capital city of Rabat to express solidarity with the Palestinian people. This demonstration was organized in response to a controversial new Israeli law concerning the death penalty, which appears to specifically target Palestinians. The crowd marched along Mohammed V Avenue, waving both Palestinian and Moroccan flags, showcasing their support for Palestine while denouncing the recently enacted legislation.
Participants chanted slogans such as "No to the death penalty," "No to occupation and Zionism," and "Gaza is starving," illustrating their strong opposition to Israeli policies and their advocacy for Palestinian rights. This rally was facilitated by the National Action Group for Palestine, which includes various political factions, notably the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) and leftist activists. Among the demonstrators was Najoua Ouahbi, 26, who voiced her concerns about the dire situation in Gaza and the targeting of civilians. Aziz El Hannaoui, a member of the organizing coalition, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing their support for Palestinian prisoners threatened by the new death penalty law.
Rejection of Normalization with Israel
The new Israeli law stipulates that anyone who intentionally kills another person with the intent to harm an Israeli citizen or resident will face either the death penalty or life imprisonment. It designates capital punishment as the default sentence for acts classified as terrorism by Israeli military courts. Although the death penalty has been part of Israeli law since 1948, it has only been applied twice. The demonstrators in Rabat also reiterated their rejection of Morocco's normalization of relations with Israel, a move formalized in late 2020. Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza on October 7, 2023, there have been numerous large-scale pro-Palestinian protests in Morocco, reflecting the population's outrage over the ongoing violence, which has resulted in over 72,500 Palestinian deaths, including more than 770 since a fragile ceasefire began on October 10, 2023, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.
As reported by jeuneafrique.com.
