Official Silence Amidst Civil Protests Over Israeli Minister's Visit to Morocco

Official Silence and Civil Protests in Response to Israeli Minister's Visit to Morocco On August 25, 2026, Morocco remained notably silent regarding reports of an impending visit by Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev to Marrakech. This visit coincided with the inaugural flight that reinstated direct air travel between Israel and Morocco. Despite the lack of official commentary from Moroccan authorities, civil society groups in Marrakech swiftly condemned the visit, organizing a large protest to express their disapproval of the Israeli minister's presence. Protesters voiced their opposition to what they termed an unacceptable visit by a member of the Israeli government and raised slogans supporting Palestine. The visit, characterized by Hebrew media as "private," saw Regev traveling on an Arkia airline flight accompanied by senior transport officials, including the ministry's general director and the public transport authority director. Arkia resumed its flights to Morocco on the previous Wednesday. Additionally, another Israeli airline, Israir, announced it would commence direct flights to Marrakech starting September 1, marking the end of a three-year hiatus in direct flights between the two nations due to the conflict in Gaza. According to i24news, this trip marks Regev's third visit to Morocco during her current term in office. The minister's spokesperson released a statement indicating that the resumption of direct flights to Marrakech symbolizes a further step towards normalization and strengthening relations between Israel and Morocco under the Abraham Accords, which facilitated the normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab nations. While official Moroccan media opted for silence on this matter, local civil organizations in Marrakech condemned the Israeli minister's visit through public statements and protests. The Moroccan Front for the Support of Palestine and Opposition to Normalization characterized the Moroccan government's approval for two Israeli airlines to resume flights to Marrakech as a "dangerous provocative step." They referenced Regev's military background and her previous derogatory comments about Palestinian rights, further fueling their condemnation. In a statement obtained by Al-Quds Al-Arabi, the Front expressed its deep disapproval of welcoming Israeli delegations to Morocco, reaffirming its steadfast demand for the cessation of normalization with the "Zionist entity." One social media user questioned the logic behind welcoming Regev, who had previously made inflammatory remarks about the Islamic call to prayer, suggesting that such an individual should not be received in a country that honors its religious traditions. As reported by tayyar.org.