Why Is ‘We Are All Israelis’ Targeting Morocco’s Justice and Development Party Over Iran?

“A pro-Israel” current in Morocco, operating under the banner “We Are All Israelis,” has launched a scathing attack on those expressing solidarity with Iran in its war with “Israel”—chief among them the Justice and Development Party (PJD) and its secretary-general, Abdelilah Benkirane.

Supporters of “Israel” questioned the patriotism and national allegiance of pro-Iran voices, accusing them of showing loyalty to the East rather than to Morocco and its core interests, first and foremost, the Western Sahara issue. They went as far as to call on the state to take action against them.

Benkirane said he did not fear imprisonment over his views, insisting he would continue to speak what he believes to be right and just, regardless of the cost.

Complicit Silence

On June 13, 2025, Benkirane’s party issued a statement condemning “Israel’s” assault on Iran, describing it as the act of a rogue and terrorist state.

The party expressed its unequivocal condemnation of what it called a Zionist terrorist aggression against the Iranian people—denouncing the violation of Iran’s territory and sovereignty, the targeting of its infrastructure and national assets, and the assassination of its leaders in what it described as a flagrant breach of international law, carried out amid deafening global silence and total American complicity.

The party called on the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and “all people of conscience around the world” to condemn what it described as a treacherous assault and the reckless wars waged by what it termed a rogue entity.

The attacks on Benkirane and the questioning of his patriotism were echoed across a number of Moroccan media outlets, including Achkayen, al Ahdath al Maghribia, and Medi Radio—all owned by Ahmed Charai, the leading figure behind the “We Are All Israelis” current. Similar messaging was also carried by Rue 20, Assabah, Goud, and Tamghrabit.

Also involved was the UAE-funded outlet Hespress, which published a report featuring testimonies from Moroccan Jews voicing support for “Israel” and its war on Iran, framing their stance under the banners of coexistence and peace. 

The site has consistently targeted Benkirane and his party through opinion pieces and media commentary.

It is worth noting that on October 8, 2023, Charai authored an article titled “We Are All Israelis” in the Jerusalem Post, in which he defended “Israel,” attacked the resistance, and urged both Arab and Western governments to act against it.

Ahmed Charai has long been regarded as the media architect of normalization with “Israel” in Morocco, owing to his ownership of numerous media outlets and his prolific contributions to international publications, particularly in the United States and “Israel.”

In his article titled “We Are All Israelis,” Charai declared his solidarity with “Israel” in the wake of the Operation al-Aqsa Flood led by Palestinian resistance factions in Gaza.

In the face of mounting attacks over his views, the Islamist party leader reaffirmed his willingness to go to prison if that were the price of standing by his convictions.

Speaking at a party conference on June 14, 2025, Benkirane declared, “Politics requires sacrifice—whether in speaking the truth, defending the poor, or standing with our people in Gaza or elsewhere. As for paying the price for that, I have no issue with it.”

“We will have no future if we do not stand by our brothers, including Iran, despite it being a Shia state and holding some negative positions toward our country,” Benkirane insisted.

Morocco severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2018, accusing Tehran of providing military support and training to the Polisario Front—a charge Iran denied at the time.

Benkirane stressed that “support for Iran is the only option in the face of Israel, the state that has occupied Palestine for more than 70 years and continues to commit unprecedented acts of genocide, leaving no room for any relationship with it.”

He called on supporters of the “We Are All Israelis” current to repent and reconcile with society, warning, “In the future, their children will feel ashamed of what they say and do today.”

Expressions of support for Iran in its confrontation with the occupation also came from the opposition Progress and Socialism Party, the political bureau of the Justice and Spirituality Movement, the Unity and Reform Movement, and the Federation of the Left.

Motives Behind the Attack

Analyzing the motives behind the attacks on Benkirane and those showing solidarity with Iran against Zionist arrogance, political activist and journalist Hassan Hamrou said, “The orchestrated campaigns against the Justice and Development Party and its secretary-general Benkirane are neither new nor a secret who is behind them.”

“These campaigns are intended to go beyond targeting the Justice and Development Party; they aim to silence society at large and muzzle anyone who raises their voice in defense of justice and principles,” Hamrou told Al Estiklal.

“These campaigns, which exploit certain events, will not succeed as long as the Justice and Development Party maintains its independence and remains committed to the principles that guide its positions,” he added.

Hamrou emphasized that those leading the attacks against the party for its condemnation of the Israeli aggression on Iran and solidarity with the Iranian people “have no genuine national interest or concern for the Moroccan Sahara. I am convinced that most lack the historical, political, and intellectual credentials to legitimately advocate for Morocco’s claim to the territory.”

“If they truly cared about the Moroccan Sahara, they would have risen up and issued statements when Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on camera holding a map of our country that excluded the Sahara—but we heard nothing from them,” Hamrou said.

The Israeli prime minister has repeatedly displayed maps of the Middle East and Arab world showing Morocco without the Sahara, despite Morocco’s normalization of relations with “Israel” in late 2020 being justified by Washington’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the disputed territory with the Polisario Front.

“Their real concern,” the political activist and journalist added, “is to divert parties and citizens from continuously addressing the crimes of the Zionist entity—thus positioning themselves as a fifth column on its behalf.”

“They are working to cement a false narrative that opposition to the Zionist entity and rejection of normalization is a marginal stance in Morocco—contrary to the reality revealed by the continuous protests, demonstrations, and statements from key political parties and movements rejecting normalization with a state responsible for the killing of children, women, and the elderly.”

“While the Justice and Development Party does not defend certain mistakes attributed to Iran in some of its positions toward our country, it firmly rejects any violation of Iran’s sovereignty, grounded both in Morocco’s identity as part of the Islamic Ummah and in international laws and conventions,” Hamrou continued.

“The Justice and Development Party is far more entitled than these others to defend our country, its institutions, and the Sahara, as it is an integral part of the social fabric with legitimate representation through its parliamentarians and elected officials, whereas those attacking it hold no such legitimacy.”

Social Interactions

Several activists have voiced strong criticism of “Israel’s” supporters in Morocco, asserting that standing with Iran is a religious, moral, and legal duty.

In this context, former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Amina Maelainine, said, “Israel is reveling in its strike against Iran, celebrating it and exaggerating praise for its capabilities, while Zionists everywhere—including ‘our own Zionists’—are practically flying with joy.”

In a Facebook post on June 13, Maelainine added, “That is why they do not hide their gloating over Iran’s suffering and their unethical allegiance to Israel, which has defied all laws, norms, and morals.”

“Let them rejoice—for their joy will be brief, and this injustice will inevitably come to an end; their arrogance, too, will soon be over,” she continued.

Mhammed el-Hilali, head of the Moroccan Centre for Contemporary Studies, said that “the stance on the aggression against Iran by the murderous Zionist terrorist entity is governed by no standard other than courage, honor, and nobility.”

In a Facebook post on June 17, el-Hilali stressed that “the correct position in these events is to stand with the oppressed against the oppressor, with the victim against the executioner, and with those differing in doctrine against the fiercest enemy of the believers.”

“The right stance is to choose between being a noble, honorable man or a base, despicable one—there is no middle ground between the two,” el-Hilali continued.

The Right Stance

Tamghrabit, aligned with the “We Are All Israelis” current, claimed on June 16, 2025, that “Iran continues to undermine Moroccan interests and threaten its stability by supporting Algeria in the Sahara conflict.”

The outlet described Benkirane’s stance as “a stark contradiction between political rhetoric and national responsibility,” suggesting that “his statement can only be read as a move revealing distorted and questionable priorities.”

According to Tamghrabit, “Ideological allegiance appears to outweigh commitment to the nation’s interests, raising serious doubts about the sincerity of the political intentions behind this position.”

“These statements demand a firm popular and institutional response, affirming that any attempt to undermine Morocco’s territorial integrity or to prioritize foreign interests over the national good will be met with outright rejection and clear accountability,” Tamghrabit reported.

In response to the attack, Aziz Hanaoui, National Secretary of the Moroccan Observatory Against Normalization, said these accusations and calls “reflect a colonialist and exclusionary agenda aimed at sowing hatred against a widely supported popular position that firmly rejects normalization with Israel.”

“This call for national unity reflects the stance of the majority of Moroccans, while the appeals from the public prosecutor and state institutions to crack down on those opposing normalization or the Israeli aggression against Iran are odious and exclusionary—and have nothing to do with patriotism or Morocco’s interests,” Hanaoui told Al Estiklal.

“They have no evidence that those who support Hamas or Iran in resisting aggression are acting against the nation’s interest—unless, of course, their idea of the nation is Israel. In that case, we stand firmly against it and will never change.”

“Benkirane’s position, along with the broader chorus rejecting the Zionist aggression against Iran, is rooted in the recognition that this attack constitutes a crime in every sense of the word,” Hanaoui added.

“This assault is part of a longstanding Western agenda aimed at preventing the Arab and Islamic world from gaining control over knowledge and technology.”

Hanaoui pointed to the 1902 Campbell-Bannerman Conference convened by colonial powers, which resulted in policies designed to keep the Islamic “Green Zone” from acquiring technological advancement, while fostering the creation of an alien entity hostile to its surroundings and subservient to the West—namely “Israel”—and blocking the emergence of wise leadership truly representing its people.

Accordingly, Hanaoui stressed that Israeli aggression is “a crime in every respect, grounded first and foremost in international law—beyond international politics or any political alignment with Iran or others.”

“Supporters of Israel in Morocco and beyond seek to mislead public opinion by portraying opposition to the aggression as allegiance to Iran, a claim that is simply untrue.”

“The Zionist attack, sponsored by Western powers, aims to undermine Iran’s nuclear program just as the Iraqi file was previously targeted, and no one committed to legal and international principles can do anything but condemn it.” 

“Aligning with the Israeli entity in its crimes is the real criminal act and a clear endorsement of terrorism,” Hanaoui added.

Addressing the doubts cast by Tamghrabit and supporters of “We Are All Israelis” regarding the patriotism of those opposing the Israeli aggression, Hanaoui said, “If they truly cared about our nation, they would accept any attack on our country should it seek scientific and technological independence, which is unpatriotic. This shows their position lacks any national foundation.”

“Moroccans want documents and evidence regarding Iran’s alleged support for the separatist project and backing of the Polisario Front, yet the authorities have provided no proof of these claims despite severing ties on this pretext since 2007—so how can we be expected to promote and defend something without any basis?”

“In the absence of clarity and given the broader context of normalization, we cannot follow this path or adopt a hostile stance toward Iran without evidence, as doing so would ultimately place us in the service of Israel—and that is something we will never accept,” Hanaoui concluded.