Moroccan Political Parties Decry Assassination of Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh

Wednesday 31 July 2024 - 15:50

Moroccan political parties and associations have expressed vehement condemnation of the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed earlier today in his residence in Tehran, Iran.

Abdelilah Benkirane, leader of Morocco’s Justice and Development Party (PJD), voiced his party’s sorrow and condemnation, describing the killing as a “treacherous terrorist operation.” In a statement, Benkirane extended his deepest condolences on behalf of the PJD’s general secretariat and its members, labeling the assassination as both “criminal” and “cowardly.” He emphasized that such acts would only further “defeat and failure for the Zionist enemy.”

Benkirane asserted that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) would not succeed in deterring the “heroic Palestinian people and their valiant resistance” from their struggle for full rights, particularly the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Echoing similar sentiments, Mohamed Nabil Benabdellah, Secretary General of the Party of Progress and Socialism, condemned Haniyeh’s killing as a “heinous crime” and a “terrorist assassination.” Benabdellah highlighted the audacity of the Zionist entity, noting that such assassinations often occur on foreign soil, breaching the sovereignty of those nations and violating international law.

Hamas confirmed that its political chief was killed today along with his bodyguard in a “treacherous Zionist raid” on his residence in Tehran. Haniyeh had traveled to Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

In addition to political parties, the Moroccan Association of Human Rights condemned Haniyeh’s assassination, urging massive participation in protests scheduled across Morocco, particularly in front of the Moroccan parliament.

Morocco has seen numerous weekly protests condemning the ongoing violence by IOF targeting civilians across Gaza. The assassination of Haniyeh has further fueled these demonstrations, as Moroccan citizens express solidarity with the Palestinian cause.