Massive Demonstration in Support of Palestine
On April 19, 2026, a significant number of Moroccans gathered in the capital city of Rabat to express their solidarity with the Palestinian people. The demonstrators, estimated to exceed 5,000 according to participants, marched along Mohammed V Avenue, waving both Palestinian and Moroccan flags. This rally was organized in response to a controversial Israeli law that imposes the death penalty exclusively targeting Palestinians, igniting outrage among various groups within Morocco.
The protesters voiced their dissent with chants such as "No to the death penalty," "No to occupation and Zionism," and "Gaza is starving," reflecting their deep concern over the humanitarian situation in Gaza. The demonstration was called by a national action group for Palestine, which includes members from various political backgrounds, including the Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD) and leftist activists.
One participant articulated the purpose of the protest by stating, "I am here today to oppose the alarming situation in Gaza and the targeting of civilians." The Israeli legislation in question stipulates that anyone who intentionally kills another individual with the aim of harming an Israeli citizen or resident, intending to endanger the state of Israel's existence, could be sentenced to death or life imprisonment. For Palestinians residing in the West Bank, which has been under Israeli occupation since 1967, the law specifies that the death penalty will be the default punishment if the homicide is classified as a terrorist act by Israeli military courts.
While the death penalty has been part of Israeli law, it has only been enforced twice since the establishment of the state in 1948. The rally in Rabat is one of several large-scale pro-Palestinian protests that have occurred in Morocco since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza on October 7, 2023, which was triggered by an unprecedented attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas on Israel.
As reported by maroc-hebdo.com.
