Storm in Morocco: Israeli mission moves to new headquarters on a street named after an opponent of Zionism

The Israeli mission in Rabat has moved in recent days to its new official headquarters in the Souissi neighborhood in the Moroccan capital, a move that has sparked sharp criticism from organizations and activists opposing normalization with Israel. The Moroccan news site "Sawt al-Maghrib" reported that on August 12, staff from the liaison office arrived at the new building on Mehdi Ben Barka Street under heavy security from security forces and private guards. Numerous security cameras were installed at the site, and an Israeli flag was seen inside the compound, although according to the site, it is barely visible from the street.

The move comes five years after the renewal of official relations between Israel and Morocco as part of the "Abraham Accords" wave. Both countries reopened liaison offices, but despite previous declarations of intent to upgrade relations to the level of embassies, the move has not yet been completed. The Israeli office had recently been operating on An-Nakheel Street in the Hay Riad neighborhood, from where it moved to the complex in Souissi.

The choice of Mehdi Ben Barka Street has caused particular resentment. Ben Barka, a Moroccan opposition leader who was kidnapped in Paris in 1965 and disappeared, is considered a symbol of the Moroccan left and the struggle against imperialism. Activist and lecturer Latifa El-Bouhsini said that this is a "provocation of Moroccan sentiments," and recalled that Ben Barka was, in her words, a figure who "identified at an early stage the danger of imperialism and its connection to Zionism."

Abdelhafid Assriti, national coordinator of the "National Action Group for Palestine," also attacked the move. In a conversation with "Sawt al-Maghrib," he said:

"What is required of Moroccan officials is a full severance of relations, not the opening of a new liaison office."

According to him, it is necessary to "immediately stop normalization" and impose sanctions on Israel instead of expanding cooperation with it.

Other organizations opposing normalization claimed that opening the headquarters at a time when fighting continues in the Gaza Strip is contrary to the position of large segments of the Moroccan public. The "Moroccan Front for Supporting Palestine and Opposing Normalization" defined the move to Ben Barka Street as a "pathetic attempt to harm the collective memory of the Moroccan people."

On the other hand, in Israel, the establishment of a permanent residence for the mission is seen as another stage in consolidating relations. Already in 2023, with the start of work on establishing the headquarters, the then-head of the mission, Alona Fisher-Kamm, said that it was a "historic moment," and added:

"We will have a home of our own, not just an embassy, but a home for all Israelis in Morocco."