Vigils, marches take place in 45 cities across Morocco in solidarity with Gaza

Hundreds of people across Morocco joined protests and vigils in solidarity with Gaza on Friday, denouncing Israeli raids on the revered Al-Aqsa complex and rejecting further normalisation.

The protests commenced following Friday Islamic congregational prayers, with one of the biggest vigils held in front of the parliament building in the capital Rabat, The New Arab’s Arabic language sister site, Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported.

The protests took place under the banner of International Jerusalem Week, following calls made by the NGO, the Moroccan Commission for the Support of the Community's Causes.

The secretary general of the NGO, Mohammed Riahi Idrissi, said there were more than 80 events in support of protecting al-Aqsa on Friday.

"The events and protests were to recall the site’s status in Islam, and in peoples’ conscience," he said.

"The protests reaffirm the status of al-Aqsa in the hearts of millions of Mulims, as it I the second mosque built on earth following the Grand Moosque of Mecca," he added, noting that the movement wanted to "expose the practicises of the criminal entity and the frequency of attacks by settler groups".

Scores of people gathered in the streets in Tangier, Agadir, Tetouan, Beni Mellal, Mohammedia, Errahidia, Khouribga, Ait Melloul, Berkane, Fkih Ben Salah, Sidi Bennour, Taaza, Azrou, Tinghir, Abi El Jaad, and Khenifra.

Many of the protesters denounced Israel’s attempts to divide al-Aqsa and execvate around it, and threats to demolish the Dome of the Rock, as well as efforts to erase the Islamic identity and history of the site.

Participants further slammed Israel’s forced starvation of Gaza, noting extreme levels of hunger in the enclave and Israel’s refusal to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement.

Some called on the international community to intervene and deliver aid to the enclave, while others condemned inaction from Arab states, rejecting their normalisation of ties with Israel.

Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023, there has been a sharp uptick in Israeli attacks on Islamic religious sites across occupied territories, particularly the al-Aqsa Mosque.

According to the Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Israeli settlers stormed al-Aqsa at least 27 times in December alone, under the protection of Israeli forces.

The ministry also said Israeli forces prevented the Islamic call to prayer 53 times in Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque in the same time frame.

According to the ministry, the repeated attacks are an Israeli effort to “normalise” the presence of settlers at the site.