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. -------------- Gaza Support in Casablanca -------------- ¶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. -------------- -------------- Unanimous Support for Palestine, but How Strong is it? -------------- -------------- ¶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 CASABLANCA 00000285 002 OF 002 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." -------------- Comment -------------- ¶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