CASABLANCANS REACT TO GAZA TROUBLES

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 CASABLANCA 000285

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/MAG AND NEA/PI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/23/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL SOCI MO
SUBJECT: CASABLANCANS REACT TO GAZA TROUBLES

Classified By: Principal Officer Douglas C. Greene for Reasons 1.4
(b),(d).

Ref: Rabat 00083


1. (SBU) Summary: While many Casablancans have been thinking of
little but Morocco's plight in soccer's Africa Cup Playoffs, others
have been preoccupied with raising their voices about recent events
in Gaza. Over the past week, three organizations organized
progressively larger protests in opposition to the Israeli blockade
of Gaza. The public demonstrations, fueled by
anti-American/anti-Israeli sentiment, included flag burnings and
strong, vocal support for Hamas. At the same time, average
Casablancans are exhibiting a broad spectrum of reactions, from
passionate support of their Arab brothers to apparent apathy.

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Gaza Support in Casablanca
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2. (SBU) On Tuesday, January 22, the banned Islamic Justice and
Charity Organization (JCO) was the first to demonstrate their
solidarity with Palestinians near the Consulate General. The
approximately 450 protesters were non-violent but burned Israeli
flags while shouting anti-American/anti-Israeli slogans. The second
demonstration, on Thursday, January 24, organized by the Islamic
Party of Justice and Development (PJD) attracted approximately
300-400 people who repeated anti-American/anti-Israeli slogans while
chanting their support for Hamas. Both rallies were approximately an
hour in length and ended peaceful. (Note: A crucial Moroccan soccer
match televised at the same time as the protest may have kept the
number of protesters to a minimum on Thursday. End Note.)


3. (SBU) The third and largest protest was organized by the
Democratic Confederation of Work (CDT),one of Morocco's largest
labor organizations. The protest held Sunday morning, January 27,
rallied more than 2000 men, women and children who marched through
the streets of Casablanca after listening to a rousing speech
delivered by CDT board members. The inflammatory announcement of the
march, on the Arabic version of the CDT website only, called for the
people of Morocco to take a stand and show solidarity with the
Palestinians. It also demanded Moroccans protest the "human rights
abuses perpetrated by the new fascist world." It called for Arabs to
band together to defend themselves against the "spilling of Arabic
blood in Palestine and Iraq." Those attending the rally shouted
anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans such as: "Enough wars, America
is the enemy of free nations;" "George Bush is a criminal, Palestine
is our witness;" "Bush is an assassin, Olmert is his dog;" and
"Death to America." In addition, many marchers carried framed photos
of the "martyr" Saddam Hussein, pan-Arabist Jemal Abdel Nasser and
Yasser Arafat.

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Unanimous Support for Palestine, but How Strong is it?
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4. (SBU) The GOM strongly denounced the Israeli blockade of Gaza
(reftel) and continues to reiterate its support for the Palestinians.
Numerous articles in local media have been published on alleged
injustices done to the Palestinians, including one on January 24 in
the popular French-language business daily L'Economist. The article
detailed the plight of Palestinians who find it necessary to break
through the frontier with Egypt in order to seek medicine, food and
fuel, due to the blockade. The paper strategically placed the
article alongside an article on a recently released "study" conducted
by two American-based organizations, the Center for Public Integrity
and the Fund for Independence in Journalism. The "study" allegedly
exposes a number of "lies" perpetrated by the U.S. administration
from 2001 to 2003 regarding the misrepresentation of the danger Iraq
represented. The placement was a transparent effort to tie the U.S.
with Israel.


5. (C) The reactions of the general public in Casablanca, however,
are more varied. Recently, econoff met with a controversial
journalist who works for a weekly Arabic-language newsmagazine.
During the meeting, the reporter offered her insights on the
situation, implying she is just not interested anymore and can not
understand the continuing fascination. She pointed out that while
Moroccans, like Palestinians, are Arabs, they have little more than
that in common. There is a great physical distance separating
Morocco and Gaza, there is a language gap (Moroccan Arabic is vastly
different from the Arabic spoken in Gaza),and there are great
cultural differences as well, she claimed. This reporter is not the
only Casablancan to react in this fashion. Poloff has heard from
other Casablancans echo her remarks, often adding that Morocco has

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its own problems and should not be distracted by the ongoing issues
in Palestine.


6. (SBU) Conversely, in a conversation with a young Americanized,
western-educated Casablancan poloff was surprised to hear a spiteful
litany on how he wished "Palestine could launch a million rockets on
Israel." Other young Casablancans participating in the
conversation, many western-educated as well, declared their firm
belief that Israel should not even be allowed to exist and that the
U.S. should discontinue its support for Israel or risk "destroying
what is left of its reputation in the region."

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Comment
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7. (SBU) Despite the fact that Morocco is as physically distant
from Gaza as any Arab country can be, many people here still feel a
very close connection and respond passionately to any controversy in
the region. It takes very little for longstanding anti-Israeli
sentiments to percolate to the surface, a somewhat surprising notion
in a country that prides itself on religious tolerance and relatively
peaceful politics. And, while most Casablancans are not shy about
saying they want to see the U.S. out of Iraq, the subject of that
conflict nearly always takes a back seat to any real or perceived
injustices or actions perpetrated against Palestinians by Israel.

GREENE