Rabat hosts ceremony marking International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
Rabat - A major commemorative event took place in Rabat on Saturday 29 November 2025, as the Embassy of the State of Palestine in Morocco and the Bayt Mal Al Quds Agency organized a ceremony to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The gathering was held at the headquarters of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and brought together a large and diverse audience including Moroccan and foreign officials, diplomats, political leaders, and representatives of civil society and cultural institutions.
Several high profile Moroccan personalities attended the event. Among them were Nizar Baraka, Secretary General of the Istiqlal Party and Minister of Equipment and Water, Driss Lachgar, First Secretary of the Socialist Union of Popular Forces, Nabil Benabdallah, Secretary General of the Party of Progress and Socialism, and Mustapha El Ktiri, High Commissioner for Former Resistance Fighters and Members of the Liberation Army. Also present were Dr Salem bin Mohammed Al Malek, Director General of ICESCO, Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui, Acting Director of the Bayt Mal Al Quds Agency, and Dr Abdelhafid Oualalou representing the Moroccan Association in Support of the Palestinian Struggle. Palestinian Ambassador to the United Kingdom Husam Zomlot was also in attendance, alongside the Palestinian community leadership in Morocco and several Arab and foreign diplomats accredited in Rabat.
Palestinian Ambassador to Morocco Jamal Al Shobaki opened the ceremony by welcoming the participants and conveying greetings from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization to Morocco. He described the annual commemoration as a moment to reaffirm the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including the right to self determination, sovereignty and return. He stated: “Yes, the situation is painful and difficult, but the world has begun to see the truth, and history is now being written differently.”
Ambassador Al Shobaki highlighted Morocco’s longstanding support for the Palestinian cause, recalling major historical milestones including the 1969 Islamic summit following the fire at Al Aqsa Mosque, the Rabat Arab Summit in 1974, and the ongoing work of the Al Quds Committee chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
He praised the message recently addressed by His Majesty to the Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, and described it as a clear roadmap for reviving a credible political process based on the two state solution and on a transition from crisis management to a fair and comprehensive settlement.
Addressing the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, he warned against continued impunity and stressed that “there can be no justice without accountability.” He added that protecting Palestinian prisoners and documenting violations remain both a moral and political responsibility.
Speaking on behalf of the Moroccan government, Minister Nizar Baraka noted that the Palestinian cause occupies a unique emotional and symbolic place for Moroccans. He said that it remains a decisive element of Morocco’s shared national consciousness and stands alongside the Kingdom’s territorial integrity as a top priority.
Baraka reaffirmed the constant position reiterated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in his recent message, expressing Morocco’s readiness to engage in international efforts to revive balanced and credible peace negotiations.
Dr Abdelhafid Oualalou, speaking on behalf of the Moroccan Association in Support of the Palestinian Struggle, emphasized the continued commitment of Moroccan civil society to Palestine. He declared that Morocco will remain aligned with the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.
A message from the United Nations Secretary General was also read during the ceremony. It reiterated the UN position calling for the protection of civilians, respect for international humanitarian law and a political process leading to an independent Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders.
Mohamed Salem Echarkaoui, Acting Director of the Bayt Mal Al Quds Agency, reaffirmed that Morocco’s position under the leadership of King Mohammed VI remains constant and concrete. He noted that the King’s support is reflected in humanitarian aid to Gaza and in sustained backing for the Agency’s programs for the residents of Jerusalem.
Throughout the ceremony, speakers expressed the urgency of allowing humanitarian access to Gaza, strengthening UNRWA operations, preserving the unity of the West Bank and Gaza under the Palestinian National Authority and restarting a clear political process grounded in international law and the two state solution.
The event also included a tribute ceremony honoring Ambassador Jamal Al Shobaki and the late Mohamed Banjelloun Andaloussi, former president of the Moroccan Association in Support of the Palestinian Struggle.
The program concluded with artistic performances by Moroccan and Palestinian ensembles, including the groups Jadal and Assael for traditional arts. Members of the Moroccan Scout movement opened the event with the national anthems of both countries.
The ceremony ended with a collective message affirming the continued commitment of the Moroccan state and society to supporting the Palestinian people in their pursuit of freedom, independence and the establishment of their state with Jerusalem as its capital.
Editorial team/le7tv
