"Free Palestine" is one of the slogans of the popular march in Rabat (Al Jazeera)

Rabat -

Moroccan Mikael Bejaoui came from the city of Kenitra - on his bicycle - to the capital, Rabat, to participate in the popular march in solidarity with Palestine, called for by the Moroccan Front to Support Palestine and Against Normalization and the National Action Group for Palestine.

Al-Bajjawi holds the Palestinian flag in one hand and his bicycle in the other hand, which he says has been his partner in life for 35 years. For him, participating in popular marches is a “legitimate duty” to support the Palestinians.

He told Al Jazeera Net that what is happening in Palestine has contributed to raising the level of awareness among Muslims all over the world, and adds, "Our brothers in the Gaza Strip, men, women, and children, are giving the world lessons in resistance, patience, faith, and steadfastness."

He continues, "They taught us many things. They taught us the meaning of sacrifice and love of the land, Jerusalem, and Islam."

Moroccan Mikael Bejaoui came to the Rabat march on his bicycle (Al Jazeera)

The issue of the nation

From the city of Meknes, Mustafa Bardan came with his friends to make his voice heard in the Kingdom’s capital, wearing a traditional woolen robe and draped in the Palestinian flag. He told Al Jazeera Net, “This is an unmissable opportunity to show support for our brothers in Gaza and to announce in a collective and audible voice our rejection of normalization with Israel.”

He added, "The Palestinian issue is our national issue and the issue of the entire nation, and we cannot remain silent about what our brothers are exposed to in Gaza, and what the Palestinians have been subjected to for decades of displacement, killing, and starvation."

He continues, "The Palestinians have persevered despite the alliance of all these brutal forces, including the Zionists and their American and European allies, and their union to expel them from their country and take it by force, and it is our duty to provide whatever forms of support we can." Mustafa believes that “the burden of travel is reduced for the sake of pilgrimage to the solidarity marches with Palestine.”

He is keen - as he tells Al Jazeera Net - not to miss the solidarity activities organized in his city of Meknes, which is about 150 kilometers from Rabat, and to support civil associations that work to spread awareness among young people regarding the Palestinian issue and resistance.

From the city of Tangier, the bride of northern Morocco, the young Yahya Benalouche and his friend Mohamed Rayan Benalal answered the call of the organizers of the march in Rabat, covering a distance of more than 250 kilometers.

Benaloush (16 years old) is wrapped in the Palestinian flag and hides his face in the manner of the resistance fighters of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. He told Al Jazeera Net that he imitates the dress of the al-Qassam men who showed the world their insistence on liberating their land despite the siege and occupation.

He added, "We, in turn, go out in marches to show our support for them and to raise our voices to reject the genocide to which our brothers in Gaza are being subjected."

A large female presence in the Rabat march in support of Gaza (Al Jazeera)

Palestinian symbols

This is not the first time that Benalalouch has come from Tangier to Rabat to participate in solidarity marches. Rather, he has previously participated in previous marches. As for his friend Benalal - who is studying in the first year of middle school - he tells Al Jazeera Net, “This is the least effort we are making to declare solidarity with Palestine and support the resistance.” ".

He added, "I follow on social media what is happening in Gaza. I feel frustrated and sad when I see the people of Gaza being killed and exterminated without fault, especially children, but I feel happy when I see resistance operations that attack the Zionists and destroy their vehicles."

As for Nadia, the daughter of the city of Mellal, she woke up at four in the morning on Sunday morning with her friends to travel towards Rabat. She carries in her hands handmade works of embroidery and bracelets in the colors of the Palestinian flag and with the name Gaza written on them.

She told Al Jazeera Net that they are Palestinian symbols that she embroiders on paintings and makes bracelets with agate to spread among people. She confirms, "We support Palestine with prayers, boycotts, marches, and also by spreading Palestinian symbols and making them a part of our lives and our creative works."

The young man, Mohamed Ouzar, traveled a distance of 500 kilometers - which separates his city, Ould Taima, from Rabat - with his friends to participate in the popular march. He explained to Al Jazeera Net, "We decided to come to Rabat to express our support for our brothers in Palestine who are subjected to a war of extermination."

He added, "For Moroccans to come from all cities to participate in the march means that we are united in supporting the Palestinian cause and reject normalization with the entity that is exterminating our brothers."

Muhammad is a young man who is active in his city in civil work, as he tells Al Jazeera Net - "in spreading awareness among families, friends and society about the Palestinian issue."

Muhammad Ozar (right) came to the march with his friends, covering a distance of 500 kilometers (Al Jazeera)

A popular solidarity movement

The march in the capital, Rabat, witnessed the presence of thousands of people from various Moroccan cities, carrying Palestinian and Moroccan flags, wearing keffiyehs, and raising slogans calling for “abolishing normalization and holding Israel accountable for its crimes against civilians.”

Among the slogans raised by the demonstrators were: “Morocco is a free land, and the printer goes abroad,” “The people of Palestine march toward victory and liberation,” “Abu Ubaida, my beloved, destroyed Tel Aviv,” “Despite the bombing and siege, Gaza is free and does not collapse,” and “A popular condemnation of the Zionist massacres and Arab positions.” ".

This is the fourth popular national march that the Kingdom has witnessed since the start of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle, and last Friday witnessed the organization of about 100 demonstrations in 54 cities as part of the popular solidarity movement with the people of Gaza that began on October 7 last year.

According to data from the Moroccan Authority for Supporting the Nation’s Issues, the number of demonstrations that the Kingdom witnessed until January 14 last year amounted to 1,850 demonstrations in support of Gaza and rejecting normalization in various Moroccan cities during the Friday “Al-Aqsa Flood” every week, in addition to other activities that the Authority supervised. Organize it.

These activities included creative forms of solidarity, such as car, bus and bicycle convoys, and expressive theatrical scenes, in addition to seminars and lectures to raise awareness of the Palestinian issue.

Source: Al Jazeera