Middle East: FM Reiterates Principles of Morocco’s Position as Defined by HM the King, Says Attacks on UN Secretary General, Foreign Heads of State Are Condemnable

Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccan Expatriates Nasser Bourita reiterated, on Tuesday in Rabat, the core principles of the Kingdom of Morocco’s position on the Middle East as defined by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, President of the Al-Quds Committee. “Morocco’s position is very clear and has been repeatedly defined by His Majesty King Mohammed VI,” he stated during a press briefing following his talks with the President of the Regional Government of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo. He recalled that the Kingdom calls for moving beyond crisis management towards establishing parameters for a lasting solution. In this regard, Bourita affirmed Morocco’s support for a two-state solution, with a Palestinian state based on the June 1967 borders, having East Jerusalem as its capital, stressing that “extremists on both sides should not be allowed to control the agenda in the Middle East, and it is time for constructive actors to regain control and initiative so that the region is not held hostage by extremists of all kinds.” Furthermore, he emphasized the fundamental importance of protecting civilians in accordance with ethics, international law, and religious principles, adding that attacks on civilians are condemnable and warning against the expansion of the conflict to Lebanon, which poses dangers and instability for the entire region. “It is time for mobilization, and the United Nations bodies must fully assume their responsibilities to stop the attacks on the Palestinian people,” he asserted, reaffirming that Morocco condemns the attacks on schools, hospitals, and the thousands of women and children targeted by Israeli attacks, as well as the blocking of humanitarian aid and the policy aimed at “starving” Palestinians in their territories. These acts are condemnable by Morocco, whose Sovereign, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, is the President of the Al-Quds Committee, Bourita said. He also noted that the Kingdom of Morocco condemns inappropriate remarks and attacks against the United Nations Secretary-General and foreign heads of state, stressing that Morocco denounces these attacks on well-intentioned figures who seek only to find solutions. “These attacks do not contribute to de-escalation or the search for quick solutions to this conflict,” he said, adding that initiatives can be discussed, accepted, or rejected within a framework of respect for the status of heads of state. He also pointed out that instability in the Middle East “fuels hatred and extremism and serves as a factor that nourishes terrorism.” “All well-intentioned efforts and proposals should be examined constructively,” he continued, noting that decisions to accept or reject them are sovereign ones that must be made within the framework of mutual respect.