Crackdown on Palestinian Supporters in Morocco: Who’s Fueling the Accusations of Treason?

Voices from Morocco’s “We Are All Israelis” current have grown louder in recent weeks, questioning the patriotism and institutional loyalty of those who oppose normalization with “Israel” and advocate for the Palestinian cause.

In response, prominent activists and civil society figures have pushed back, defending long-standing symbols of Moroccan solidarity with Palestine.

At the center of the backlash are Ahmed Ouihmane, head of the Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization and a member of the Secretariat of the National Action Group for Palestine, and Aziz Hennaoui, secretary-general of both the same group and the observatory — two of the country’s leading anti-normalization platforms.

“Pro-Israel” voices in Morocco have accused the two activists of “hostility to the nation,” “betrayal,” and “serving foreign agendas,” leveling further claims of “loyalty to Iran,” “Shiite affiliation,” and “prioritizing foreign causes over national interests.”

The attacks come amid their sustained grassroots activism and growing digital presence, as they remain at the forefront of anti-normalization efforts and vocal support for the Palestinian struggle.

Advocates of Normalization

In a statement shared via Facebook on July 6, 2025, the National Action Group for Palestine condemned what it described as a “frenzied campaign” aimed at silencing anti-normalization voices, unfolding at a time when “Zionist crimes on our peoples and homelands are intensifying.”

The group decried what it called “a pitifully aggressive discourse” emerging from “obscure figures,” singling out their attacks on two “honorable activists,” Hennaoui and Ouihmane.

The group further stressed that “the baseless accusations and insidious insinuations peddled by these slanderers are a glaring symptom of the hysteria consuming the champions of normalization.”

Particularly, it noted, those “who cloak themselves in distorted religious rhetoric to serve Zionist-colonial agendas — using it as a cover for feeble attempts to smear principled activists who have stood firm in the face of pressure and a barrage of desperate efforts.”

It concluded by asserting that both Ahmed Ouihmane and Aziz Hennaoui “remain unshaken by the pettiness of those who have sold their conscience, corrupted their integrity, and chosen to serve as mouthpieces for the advocates of Zionization.”

The statement described the two men as “widely known for their principled stance, steadfast activism, and unwavering opposition to projects of normalization and cultural Westernization,” adding that they have “stood firm and resolute in defending Palestine as a national cause, and safeguarding Moroccan unity and sovereignty as existential imperatives.”

The group went on to condemn what it called “the brazen vilification of free and committed activists who have dedicated themselves to the service of their nation and its sacred causes — chief among them, Palestine.”

It also issued a strong warning against “the dangers of incendiary takfiri discourse,” cautioning that such rhetoric fuels division and poses a threat to social cohesion.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions, as activist Ahmed Ouihmane revealed that Moroccan security officers barred him from entering the Mohammed V Theater in Rabat during the opening of the Fifth World Forum of Sociology — apparently due to his wearing of a Palestinian keffiyeh.

“The security forces fixed their gaze on the Palestinian keffiyeh around my neck as they spoke, while plainclothes officers filmed the scene, standing beside the theater’s director,” Ouihmane posted on Facebook.

The move followed a protest staged by anti-normalization campaigners, denouncing what they described as the presence of “Zionist killers” among the forum’s participants.

The name “We Are All Israelis” has become closely associated with Ahmed Charai, the owner of the al Ahdath al Maghribia media group, who sparked outrage in October 2023 after penning an editorial at the outset of the Israeli war on Gaza, expressing support for “Israel,” branding Hamas as a terrorist organization, and calling on Arab governments to take a stand against it.

Charai’s rhetoric has since echoed across his media outlets — notably al Ahdath al Maghribia, Medi Radio, Kifache, and others — where presenters and columnists have consistently championed Rabat’s normalization deal with “Tel Aviv,” signed in late 2020, and have pushed to sever the symbolic link between Moroccans and the broader causes of the Arab world, foremost among them the Palestinian struggle.

A Coordinated Assault

Aziz Hennaoui has also taken to social media, posting a series of statements addressing a wave of attacks targeting him and fellow activist Ahmed Ouihmane.

Among those spearheading the online campaign is Moroccan blogger Nabil Harbaz, an outspoken supporter of normalization with “Israel,” who regularly uploads YouTube videos accusing pro-Palestine advocates of serving Iranian interests and questioning their loyalty to Moroccan institutions.

Also joining the chorus of attacks against Ouihmane and Hennaoui is Sheikh Mohamed Fizazi — a former terrorism suspect who was later granted a royal pardon and has since transformed into a vocal supporter of state policies, including the normalization deal with “Israel.”

In a Facebook post dated July 2, Fizazi disparaged the Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization, claiming it was founded by “atheists, non-believers, secularists and Islamists,” and alleging that “leading this hybrid band is a Jew named Edmond Amran el Maleh.”

“All of them — and others — claim they want to liberate Palestine, al-Aqsa Mosque, and defend Islam in the blessed land. Could there be any greater absurdity or confusion than this?” Fizazi added.

Meanwhile, the trio behind the talk show VAR on Kifache TV— hosted by journalists Radwan Ramdani, Youness Dafkir, and academic Omar Cherkaoui — has trained its sights on critics of normalization and defenders of the Palestinian cause.

Frequent targets include Aziz Hennaoui, Ahmed Ouihmane, and Abdelilah Benkirane, secretary-general of the Justice and Development Party.

But as public criticism of the trio’s pro-normalization rhetoric and attacks on the Palestinian resistance grew increasingly fierce, they aired a special episode in early July 2025 to defend themselves — a sign of just how much the backlash had intensified.

In this context, journalist Hisham Ramah penned an opinion piece for al-Jarida 24 on October 25, 2024, in which he accused Hennaoui and Ouihmane of being, in his words, “possessed and abducted by the Iranian devil.”

He went on to claim that the two activists were attempting to “hijack the Palestinian cause from the Moroccan people and install themselves as its sole defenders.”

He continued: what Hennaoui, Ouihmane, and their entourage at the “Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization” are really aiming for, he argued, is to monopolize a cause they have long exploited — profiting from it as one would from a commercial asset.

Ramah added that Hennaoui and Ouihmane were playing their roles well, likening them to “Iran’s infiltrated militias among Moroccans,” and accusing them of dragging the Palestinian cause — over which they claim exclusive guardianship — into a deep abyss.

A Reversal of Fortunes

The sustained attacks on prominent figures of Morocco’s anti-normalization movement have not gone unanswered. 

A wave of solidarity emerged as activists stepped forward to defend Hennaoui and Ouihmane, insisting that their stance reflects the conscience and convictions of the wider Moroccan public.

In this context, scholar of Islamic jurisprudence Hamza el-Khaldi remarked, “Anyone who doubts the sincerity of these two men’s patriotism ought to re-examine their own sense of belonging to this country.”

“We may disagree on many particulars, but that does not negate the fact that both men stand guard at the gates of patriotism and faith, driven by a love for what is authentic,” el-Khaldi posted on Facebook.

“There is no need to manipulate public opinion or peddle ready-made accusations — such tactics do not help; they only harm Morocco’s intellectual fabric. Confront ideas with ideas, and leave falsehood behind.”

Hassan Kettani — president of the League of Scholars of the Maghreb, and member of both the International Union of Muslim Scholars and the Global League of Defenders of the Prophet Muhammad — stated that Hennaoui and Ouihmane “are undertaking a great effort and a noble struggle that brings honor to Moroccans and restores their standing in the pages of history. Everyone must recognize their merit and accord them due respect.”

Academic researcher and pro-Palestine activist Mohamed Aouam described  Ouihmane and Hennaoui as “honorable fighters” whose voices have unsettled a particular faction he called hostile to the nation, to the ummah, to Morocco’s history, and to the Palestinian cause — namely, the group branding itself “We Are All Israelis.”

“These are the very people who question the patriotism of these two principled men — a sign of the sheer moral decay we’ve reached,” Aouam told Al-Estiklal.

“Supporters of the occupation embody every form of betrayal imaginable, yet they have the audacity to lecture Morocco’s honorable defenders. The scales have truly tipped — the traitor now parades as a patriot, while the true citizen who stands for his nation finds his loyalty put on trial.”

“These traitors, who operate within the framework of Zionist agendas — culturally and in the media — have been allowed to dominate the discourse, and their threat should not be underestimated,” Aouam added.

He expressed deep regret over what he described as Morocco’s silence, “standing idly by as these individuals openly travel to Israel and boast of meetings with Mossad and other agencies.”

The academic dismissed the accusations leveled at Hennaoui and Ouihmane by the “We Are All Israelis” camp as “flimsy, absurd, and desperate,” including, he noted, “baseless claims of Shia affiliation or allegiance to Iran.”

“We stand with Iran in its defense and its attacks against the fascist Nazi entity, as this is the natural response to the ongoing acts of genocide in Gaza.”

He added that any normal Muslim will support every Islamic state confronting “Israel,” “for we are one nation, and must unite our ranks to face it.”

The speaker also warned that the “We Are All Israelis” faction will gain nothing from their assault on supporters of the Palestinian cause, “and history will forever condemn them, and all who align themselves with them.”

He concluded that the same applies to the accusations against Abdelilah Benkirane regarding his loyalty and dedication to his country’s institutions, noting that he is widely recognized for his patriotism and honorable history.

Aouam added that Benkirane is also known for his zeal and honesty—qualities denied only by the ungrateful—and explained that “his frankness unsettles certain people, including traitors and collaborators.”

Previous Attack

In early 2025, Hassan Kaabia, deputy director of the Israeli liaison office in Rabat, launched a personal attack on Aziz Hennaoui, prompting a response from the National Action Group for Palestine.

On January 23, 2025, the group condemned Kaabia’s unprecedented move, highlighting that he had accused Hennaoui and the Palestinian resistance of terrorism in a statement.

They noted that Kaabia, who had previously insulted Moroccans, issued this statement in a similarly hostile tone, reflecting the frustration of Israeli authorities at the Moroccan people’s steadfast loyalty to Palestinian freedom and their support for Operation al-Aqsa Flood.

The National Action Group for Palestine emphasized that “Operation al-Aqsa Flood shattered the perceived superiority of the Zionist army, which suffered a catastrophic failure against the heroes and resistance fighters who etched glorious feats in confronting the invading Zionist militias.”

The group argued that Hassan Kaabia’s attack on Moroccans supporting the Palestinian people was driven by the Israeli enemy’s failure to achieve any military objectives in Gaza al-Azza, as well as its attempts to undermine Moroccan social fabric in order to alter the image of the criminal occupier in the consciousness of the region’s peoples.

The group added that over the past months, these peoples have taken to streets and squares to voice their strong condemnation of the Zionist crimes in Gaza and their unequivocal rejection of all forms of normalization with a brutal and criminal entity.

They expressed their strongest denunciation of Hassan Kaabia’s affront to a noble activist who stands alongside all true Moroccans in support of the Palestinian people.

The National Action Group called on officials to take urgent measures to curb what they described as the “cawing crow and others like him.”

The group continued, “This outburst is by no means an isolated incident; it follows previous threats aimed at Palestinian activists, including our comrade Aziz Hennaoui.”

They added that branding Hamas—a movement officially and popularly welcomed in our country—as a terrorist organization amounts to blatant interference in Morocco’s national and sovereign affairs.

In the same statement, the group renewed its call for officials to take the initiative to close the Israeli liaison office and end all forms of normalization with killers and criminals.

They also urged all active forces within the country to remain vigilant in order to thwart the attempts of the Zionists and their agents, including the aforementioned Hassan Kaabia.

Media Battle

Reflecting on these developments, Halima Shuwaika, deputy secretary-general of Morocco’s National Labour Union, views the attacks by supporters of the “We Are All Israelis” movement against Palestinian advocates as a media tactic employed by factions lacking both evidence and strength to defend their positions.

Speaking to Al-Estiklal, she added that these groups have no genuine cause to champion, and that their slogan has backfired due to the heinous crimes committed by “Israel,” condemned by freedom-loving people around the world.

The trade union leader and political activist noted that “in an effort to divert the media battle away from the crimes of Israel and the defeat of its army by resistance strikes, they have resorted to a ready-made accusation against Palestine supporters — branding them as unpatriotic and loyal to foreign interests.”

She pointed out that this is a familiar tactic, typically employed by authoritarian regimes to discredit their political opponents and dissenters.

According to the deputy secretary-general of Morocco’s National Labour Union, “This excessive use of patriotism as a scarecrow, the selective distribution of ‘good citizen’ certificates, and the crude exploitation of the territorial integrity issue ultimately harms the nation, its interests, and the broad consensus around its territorial unity far more than it helps.”

“Exploiting these sacred issues for political score-settling desecrates them and robs them of their sanctity.”

She insisted that, if anyone is truly harming the nation, it is the ‘We Are All Israelis’ group, who have openly declared their allegiance to a criminal state whose leaders are being prosecuted at the International Criminal Court.

“They are also the ones who manipulate nationally consensual issues — ones beyond debate — using them to target their opponents whom they cannot confront with reasoned argument, evidence, or rational discussion,” she added.