Morocco strengthens its relations with Israel despite the protests

The Saudi Liaison Office in Tel Aviv announced that it had begun providing consular services.

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“Within the framework of the consular reform implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Residing Abroad, the Liaison Office of the Kingdom of Morocco in Tel Aviv is informing all Moroccan citizens residing in Israel and foreigners who wish to submit an application,” she said in a statement, that a visa application for Morocco can now be made, via The new system for requesting consular appointments remotely: rdv.consulat.ma Services provided include issuing national identity cards, issuing passports, authenticating signatures, and issuing visas.

https://twitter.com/MoroccoInIsrael/status/1745116880061223260

This announcement comes at a time of calls to sever relations with Israel. Since Hamas's surprise action on October 7 and the Israeli reaction, pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been organized in several Moroccan cities, demanding the severing of diplomatic relations with Tel Aviv. This is a demand expressed in a popular petition that collected 10,200 signatures. On Wednesday, the Moroccan Prime Minister's Office refused to accept the petition. Abdul Qader Al-Alami, a member of the committee, said: “We had requested an appointment in advance and were told that we could come and submit the petition, but when we arrived, we faced heavy security forces and local authorities who refused us entry.” From the organizing committee of the petition, to The New Arab.

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Later in the day, Mustafa Paytas, government spokesman and deputy minister responsible for parliamentary relations, provided a clarification. He stated that the petitioners followed improper procedures, which resulted in them being denied access to file the petition. But this rejection did not weaken the resolve of the anti-normalization movement. Al-Alami said in a press statement on Thursday, “What we witnessed on Wednesday shows the interconnection between normalization and a state of tyranny and chaos.” He added: “We will continue our struggle in defense of the constitution and the law against the state of deterioration and institutional failure that the government is suffering from.”