Moroccan Activists Denounce Detention in Egypt Ahead of Global March to Gaza
Among those targeted were several Moroccans who had all the required documents, including valid visas and confirmed travel plans. Still, they were held for hours at Cairo airport, and at least 12 Moroccans were deported without explanation, says one Moroccan activist in a video shared on social media.
He described the ordeal as degrading and unjust. 'We arrived with everything in order … visas, tickets, guarantees,' he said. 'Still, we were detained for over three hours. Some of us were eventually allowed in, but 12 people from our flight were deported.'
According to the activist, the conditions were psychologically draining, with some people crammed into holding areas with no clear information on what was happening. One elderly woman with diabetes had insulin in her bag, but when she informed the authorities, 'they completely ignored her,' he added.
The experience left many shaken. 'The treatment was humiliating,' the activist said, describing the handling of peaceful marchers as more befitting of a 'thuggish regime' than a nation that claims to respect international visitors.
'The activists who came to join the march wouldn't have come to Egypt in the first place if Egypt had fulfilled its duty and truly worked to lift the blockade on Gaza. It failed to do so, and even blocked others who tried to apply pressure to lift it,' he concluded.
The Egyptian authorities have not issued any official comment. But according to march spokesperson Saif Abukeshek, over 200 people, including nationals from Morocco, Algeria, France, Spain, the United States, and Australia, among other, were either detained, questioned, or deported.
He told AFP that plainclothes officers entered hotels with lists of names, conducted interrogations, and confiscated personal belongings. Some were released, others were sent back.
Abukeshek said 20 French citizens were held for 18 hours at the airport, and shared videos showed dozens of people stuck in a holding room with their luggage.
The Global March to Gaza is a coordinated international action where thousands of people from more than 40 countries planned to travel to the Rafah border crossing on Friday.
The aim is to deliver humanitarian aid and raise global pressure to end the blockade on Gaza. Many of the marchers were supposed to travel to El-Arish in Sinai by bus, then walk 50 kilometers to the border before returning to Cairo on June 19.
A second convoy, called 'Soumoud,' meaning 'steadfastness' in Arabic, left Tunisia earlier this week, trying to reach Gaza through Libya and Egypt. However, organizers said they are still waiting for Egypt to grant passage permits.
The march comes as Israel intensifies its genocidal war on Gaza amid a blockade that left the already devastated population with food, water, and medication. The blockade has led to dozens of deaths among children and elderly people in recent weeks due to famine.
On top of that, Israel has been targeting civilians and deliberately killing civilians who go to aid sites to collect much-needed food and medical supplies.
Israeli officials have urged Egypt to stop what they called 'jihadist protesters' from reaching the border, saying that they 'would endanger the safety of (Israeli) soldiers and will not be allowed.' Despite these setbacks, organizers say the movement will remain peaceful and focused on humanitarian goals.
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Morocco World
4 hours ago
- Morocco World
For Israel, Normalization Isn't Enough; They Demand Blind Devotion
Marrakech – The vicious assault on Ambassador Youssef El Amrani, Morocco's representative to the United States since October 2023, and his wife Asma Lamrabet exposes the grotesque reality of what Israel's most rabid supporters truly want: not peaceful coexistence, not mutual respect, but Morocco's complete and utter submission. Moroccan sovereignty cannot be left undefended when it is trampled under the guise of 'friendship' with Israel. The brazenness of this attack on Morocco's diplomatic independence is an affront so egregious it constitutes nothing less than neo-colonial aggression against the kingdom's sovereignty, revealing the colonial mindset still festering beneath the veneer of some 'friendships.' Let's examine what sparked this firestorm. In his JFeed article 'Does an Anti-Semitic Family Represent Morocco in DC?', Mustapha Ezzarghani – president of the Moroccan-Israeli Friendship Association, an American organization 'working to strengthen relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the State of Israel' – launches a direct assault on Morocco's ambassador's character and competence. This is the same man who shamelessly penned 'This Moroccan says, yes, we are all Israelis' for The Times of Israel, collecting pats on the head from his handlers while betraying his nation's dignity. That piece is steeped in a duplicity and opportunism that lays bare a sinister truth: for these lobbyists, normalization is worthless unless it comes with complete, unquestioning devotion to Israel's every action. A weaponized campaign of defamation 'El Amrani has failed to deliver meaningful results for Moroccan diplomacy thus far,' Ezzarghani claims. 'Despite being in the US for over a year, El Amrani has declined to engage with Moroccan Jewish community leaders and organizations advocating for stronger Moroccan-Israeli relations. Under his leadership, the Moroccan Embassy in Washington no longer maintains the open-door policy it once had for Jewish organizations and groups promoting ties between Morocco and Israel.' He then extends his attack to Lamrabet, claiming her social media posts about Gaza reflect 'anti-Israeli sentiments and anti-Semitic views,' deliberately conflating criticism of Israel's actions with hatred of Jews. Let's call this what it is: a political assassination attempt. By hurling the nuclear accusation of 'anti-Semitism' at Morocco's ambassador and his wife, Ezzarghani isn't engaging in criticism – he's executing a carefully calculated character execution. The accusation of anti-Semitism, wielded like a bludgeon against El Amrani, is nothing short of diplomatic blackmail. In Washington's corridors of power, such accusations aren't merely words; they're professional death sentences, designed to exterminate careers and silence voices with ruthless efficiency. That Ezzarghani deploys this weapon against a fellow Moroccan exposes his true allegiance. How ironic that this assault comes draped in the banner of America's First Amendment freedoms – a nation that has prided itself for over 250 years on protecting free expression – while seeking to deny those same rights to Ambassador El Amrani and Lamrabet. The free speech these lobbyists claim to cherish apparently extends only to those who parrot their preferred narrative, enforcing a rigid pro-Israel orthodoxy that has become almost a civic religion in parts of the United States. The hit piece published on JFeed – a propaganda outlet masquerading as journalism – radiates fascistic intolerance. Its author, Ezzarghani, has revealed himself as nothing more than a puppet dancing to Tel Aviv's tune while wrapping himself in Morocco's flag. His attack on El Amrani appeared in a publication founded in 2023 by right-wing religious Zionist Eli Kutilef, a platform dedicated to promoting the extremist vision of 'Greater Israel' among English-speaking Jewish communities. Hypocrisy and the assault on Moroccan independence The staggering audacity of this assault cannot be overstated. El Amrani serves at the pleasure of King Mohammed VI, appointed under Article 55 of the 2011 Constitution (the same constitution that recognizes the Hebraic component as part of Morocco's national identity). To attack him is to attack the sovereign decision-making of the monarchy and, by extension, the Moroccan state itself. This is not criticism – it's subversion masquerading as concern. This attack doesn't just target one diplomat; it's a direct assault on the sovereign decision-making authority of the monarchy. It spits in the face of Morocco's constitutional order and mocks the nation's independence. This is its unmistakable message: Morocco's King cannot be trusted to appoint his own representatives without Israeli approval. What ought to gall every principled observer is the brazen hypocrisy at play. The accusation itself is so patently absurd it would be laughable if it weren't so dangerous. El Amrani has exhaustively demonstrated his commitment to Morocco's Jewish heritage. He's participated in Hilloula celebrations in Florida, where he spoke about the strength of bonds between the Moroccan Jewish community and their original country. He attended Mimouna festivities in Washington, spotlighting Morocco's traditions of cultural and religious diversity. Just this past May, at a conference organized by a major Jewish coalition, El Amrani publicly stated that 'Morocco teaches the Holocaust in its school curricula,' earning enthusiastic applause. Yet these facts are inconvenient obstacles to the lobby's agenda, so they're conveniently ignored in favor of fabricated grievances. But the truth remains: These aren't the actions of an anti-Semite but of a diplomat faithfully representing Morocco's nuanced position. As for Lamrabet, Ezzarghani's attempt to weaponize her personal views on Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe reveals the totalitarian mindset at work. The attempt to pillory her for expressing human sympathy for Gaza's suffering children is reprehensible. This distinguished academic, physician, and feminist has spent her career advocating for religious reform and interfaith dialogue. She's even facilitated connections with female Jewish religious leaders like the French rabbi Pauline Bebe. The suggestion that her personal views on the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza somehow disqualify her husband from diplomatic service – and now finds herself smeared for the crime of basic human empathy – exposes a deep-seated authoritarian litmus test in which absolute, uncritical fealty to Israel is the sole admissible stance. Here again, the message is chillingly clear: in the eyes of these extremists, even tears shed for dying Palestinian children are rebranded as evidence of anti-Semitism. Let's cut through the smokescream. This calculated conflation of anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism is intellectual terrorism. This isn't about anti-Semitism – it's about enforcing pro-Zionism as the only permissible stance. Judaism is a rich, ancient faith tradition; Zionism is a modern political ideology. Criticizing Israel's policies is no more anti-Semitic than criticizing Saudi Arabia is Islamophobic. We must not conflate Judaism with Zionism, just as we reject equating Islam with Islamism. These deliberate conflations serve only those who wish to silence legitimate criticism behind accusations of bigotry. From opportunism to diplomatic colonization The most revolting aspect of this attack is its naked opportunism. By linking Trump's return to the White House with Morocco's diplomatic positioning, Ezzarghani shows his true colors. He cynically suggests that America's recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara – a recognition based on historical legitimacy and strategic partnership – somehow depends on the Moroccan ambassador's willingness to prostrate himself before pro-Israeli lobbies. This isn't just false; it's a reprehensible attempt to hold Morocco's territorial integrity hostage to foreign interests, a dangerous attempt to hijack the country's foreign policy. What we're witnessing is nothing less than diplomatic colonization by proxy – a new form of imperialism where nations are expected to surrender not just resources but their very voice on the world stage. These self-appointed gatekeepers, these self-appointed commissars demand not just normalization but absolute servitude. They expect Morocco to surrender its independent voice on the world stage and parrot Israeli positions without question. They expect Morocco to function as Israel's ventriloquist dummy, Rabat's diplomatic corps reduced to mindless parrots regurgitating whatever position serves Tel Aviv's interests. They seek to hollow out Moroccan diplomacy, turning seasoned ambassadors into lifeless props, their only function to mouth the lines scripted in Israel's foreign policy apparatchiks. The attack on El Amrani and Lamrabet exposes the lobby's three-pronged strategy of domination: First, Morocco must not merely normalize but 'love Israel' with cult-like devotion; second, even the private thoughts and personal sympathies of diplomats' families must be policed for ideological purity; and third, Morocco's representation in Washington must pass a loyalty test administered not by Rabat but by fanatical pro-Israeli interests. Drawing the line for Morocco's sovereignty This is imperial arrogance of the highest order. It betrays a colonizer's patronage, subject-master mentality that views Morocco not as a sovereign partner but as a client state to be controlled. The underlying assumption – that Moroccans cannot be trusted to determine their own foreign policy without supervision – is profoundly racist and infantilizing. The real insult lies in the presumption that Morocco requires foreign custodians – that its seasoned diplomats are incapable of defending the kingdom's national interests without the leash and oversight of self-appointed overlords. This patronizing attitude reveals the colonial mindset still festering beneath the veneer of 'friendship.' The timing of this attack is no coincidence. According to reliable sources in Washington, Ezzarghani wasn't invited to the 26th Throne Day celebration hosted by the Moroccan embassy this year – an event that welcomed nearly 750 people, including Jews of various nationalities, several rabbis, and likely even Israelis. This reveals the petty personal grudges driving this supposedly principled stand. This isn't about policy; it's about wounded egos and thwarted self-importance. There must be a categorical rejection of any attempt to transform normalization into subjugation. Morocco must never accept a world where it is forced to present daily credentials to a lobby that sees the kingdom merely as Israel's backyard. The premise that Moroccan diplomats must sacrifice their dignity and independence to appease those who mistake normalization for submission is beyond the pale. Morocco established diplomatic relations with Israel as a sovereign choice, not as an invitation to foreign control. The country's balanced approach to the Middle East – supporting Palestinian rights while engaging with Israel – reflects its independent judgment, not a position to be dictated by external actors. It is a stance shaped by Morocco's deliberate distancing from the political entanglements of the Mashriq, as the state focuses its strategic horizon on Africa. Morocco's diplomatic relations are sovereign decisions, not concessions to be micromanaged by external interests. The nation's foreign policy isn't up for auction to the highest bidder or the loudest bully. As Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita once wisely observed, we should not be 'Palestinians more than Palestinians themselves,' and it must be added, nor should we be 'Israelis more than Israelis themselves.' Morocco's diplomatic strength lies precisely in its measured independence, its ability to speak with all sides while surrendering to none. Morocco's strength lies in its balanced approach, its independent voice, and its refusal to be anyone's puppet. The attack on Ambassador El Amrani is a test case – if it succeeds, it will embolden further encroachments on Moroccan sovereignty. Today, outside forces dictate diplomatic appointments; tomorrow, they'll dictate foreign policy entirely. Today they demand control over Morocco's diplomatic appointments; tomorrow they'll demand control over its educational curriculum, media, and domestic policy. This cancer of foreign interference will metastasize if not aggressively confronted. This insidious erosion of independence must be recognized and resisted. Support for Ambassador El Amrani and Lamrabet must be unequivocal in the face of this disgraceful smear campaign. More importantly, Morocco's inalienable right to determine its own foreign policy must be defended against any form of external coercion or blackmail. The lobbyists have shown their hand. They don't want partnership; they want vassalage. They don't seek normalization; they demand capitulation. For these self-appointed inquisitors, normalization was never the goal – it was merely the foot in the door. What they truly seek is the annihilation of Morocco's will, its transformation into a pliant satellite state that reflexively supports every Israeli action regardless of its moral or legal implications. For them, recognition isn't enough – only absolute fealty will suffice. This is the line that must not be crossed. Morocco's diplomatic independence is non-negotiable. The nation's sovereignty is not for sale. And those who attempt to dictate foreign policy through intimidation and character assassination should be recognized for what they are: enemies of Morocco's national interest masquerading as friends. Morocco will not allow self-interested operatives to hijack its foreign policy or bully its representatives. Its sovereignty is beyond negotiation, its independence is beyond purchase, and its diplomats deserve far more than to be dragged before modern-day inquisitions by those who confuse alliance with dominion. The wolves have shown their teeth. Now Morocco must show its spine. This is where the line must be drawn – not just for El Amrani and Lamrabet, but for Morocco's place in the world as a sovereign nation that charts its own course.
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Morocco World
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