Dock the Resistance: Moroccan Protesters Target Ports to Cut Ties with Israel

A growing protest movement in Morocco is turning its anger toward the country’s strategic ports, demanding an end to military shipments linked to Israel and calling on the government to cut diplomatic ties.

In Tangier, crowds carrying Palestinian flags and signs reading “Reject the ship” gathered near docks where cargo containers tower above them. Their focus: vessels transporting weapons components from the U.S. to Israel, particularly through global shipping giant Maersk.

The protests are part of a wider backlash to Morocco’s decision to normalize relations with Israel in 2020. That move, part of the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, has sparked deep resentment among many Moroccans who view it as a betrayal of Palestinian solidarity.

One of the most prominent activists, 34-year-old agricultural engineer Ismail Lghazaoui, has faced prison time for his involvement. Despite arrests and beatings, including a violent encounter at a Casablanca protest last year, he remains defiant. “They want to silence us, but we are only getting louder,” he said.

Activists are now urging port authorities to block weapons shipments, following the example of Spain, which refused docking permission to similar cargo in 2023.

With tensions rising and public discontent mounting, the standoff between Morocco’s government and its people over ties with Israel is heading into turbulent waters, both figuratively and literally.