Thousands of Moroccans marched through central Rabat on Sunday to protest a new Israeli law that makes the death penalty the default sentence for Palestinians convicted in military courts of carrying out deadly attacks, in a demonstration that also revived anger over Morocco’s diplomatic ties with Israel. Reports from the scene said about 5,000 people gathered along Mohammed V Avenue, waving Palestinian and Moroccan flags and chanting slogans against capital punishment and Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
The protest was organised by the National Action Group for Palestine, a coalition that brings together Islamist and left-wing currents, including figures linked to Morocco’s Justice and Development Party. Marchers framed the rally as part of a broader popular movement of solidarity with Palestinians, especially detainees who could now face execution under the new Israeli measure. One student protester said demonstrations and boycotts were “the least we can do,” reflecting a mood that combined outrage, helplessness and determination.
The Israeli law at the centre of the protest was passed on March 30 and mandates death by hanging as the default punishment for Palestinians convicted in military courts of lethal attacks classified as terrorism. It also allows for broader use of capital punishment in civilian courts under certain conditions. Critics say the law is discriminatory because, although it is framed in general terms, its design and wording make it overwhelmingly likely to be applied to Palestinians rather than Jewish Israelis. The European Union described the measure as “very concerning,” while human rights groups and Palestinian officials have condemned it as contrary to international law and due process.
The anger in Rabat also reflected wider frustration with Morocco’s 2020 decision to normalize relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords. Protesters called on the Moroccan government to reconsider that diplomatic stance, arguing that the Gaza war and the new death penalty law had made continued ties harder to justify morally and politically. Pro-Palestinian sentiment has remained strong in Morocco, where large demonstrations against Israel have repeatedly drawn thousands into the streets since the war in Gaza began.
The demonstration in Rabat is part of a broader international backlash against the Israeli law. Muslim-majority countries have issued joint condemnations, and Palestinian prisoners’ families in the occupied West Bank have warned that the measure could expose detainees to execution without meaningful safeguards. Against that backdrop, Sunday’s march showed that the issue is resonating far beyond Israel and the Palestinian territories, feeding public anger across the Arab world and placing fresh pressure on governments that maintain relations with Israel.
