Israeli Attacks on Al-Quds: Morocco Called Things by their Proper Name – Op-ed –
Morocco has called things by their proper name when condemning the recent events in the Al-Aqsa mosque, says writer and journalist Abdelhamid Jmahri. In an op-ed published Monday by the daily newspaper “Al Itihad Al Ichtiraki”, Mr. Jmahri underlines that Morocco “did not hesitate to qualify the attack as an attack, the occupation as an occupation, the condemnation as condemnation, and the denunciation as denunciation when commenting the events in the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque”. The writer and journalist describes as “strong” the statement issued Saturday by the ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad, noting that Moroccan diplomacy interacted with the events that took place in Bayt al Maqdis by “calling things by their proper name”. The Moroccan stance “echoes the wave of denunciation that invaded the Islamic Umma, and stirred its emotions during this violent moment in the blessed month of Ramadan”, he points out. In this regard, Jmahri highlights the actions of the Al-Quds Committee, chaired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, in the defense of the holy city and its most prestigious mosque, which Morocco is committed to defending. According to the journalist, the language used in the statement published by the ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccans Abroad reflects “without ambiguity or rhetorical embellishment, a firm condemnation and denunciation of what is happening” at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. The statement preserved the power of words to express this position, referring to the soldiers who stormed into the mosque as “Israeli occupation forces” and calling the attack “an incursion, closing of the gates and aggression of the defenseless faithful,” he noted. According to Jmahri, the firm and clear stance of the Kingdom did not fail to highlight the effects of this flagrant aggression on the feelings of the Islamic Umma, which may “undermine the opportunity to restore peace while fuelling feelings of hatred and extremism against the peace itself!”. This is clearly demonstrated in the paragraph of the statement which stresses that “this blatant aggression and methodical provocation during the holy month of Ramadan against the sanctity of the mosque and its place in the heart of the Islamic Ummah will only fuel feelings of hatred and extremism and destroy the chances of reviving the peace process in the region,” he added. In addition, Jmahri underscores the need to restore the process of political negotiation for the settlement of the conflict as it is expressed now by the Palestinians, stressing that conversely, it would only be another “non-magical recipe” to revive the occupation.