Morocco has presented its decision to participate in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza as an extension of its longstanding commitment to the Palestinian cause and its support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.
Speaking Tuesday in Belgrade at a commemorative meeting marking the 65th anniversary of the Non-Aligned Movement, Morocco’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Omar Hilale, placed the Kingdom’s planned contribution within the broader framework of its policy toward Palestine.
Hilale recalled that King Mohammed VI, in his capacity as Chairman of the Al-Quds Committee, has consistently reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to preserving the legal, historical and cultural status of Al-Quds Al-Sharif.
He stressed that Morocco also supports the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to exercise their legitimate rights and realize their aspiration to establish an independent Palestinian state, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
It is against this backdrop, Hilale said, that Morocco decided to participate in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza.
The Moroccan contribution, he explained, will include the mobilization of Moroccan military and security personnel, as well as the deployment of a military field hospital to provide medical assistance to Palestinians affected by the conflict.
By presenting the deployment in this context, Rabat places its participation within what it describes as a continuation of its political and humanitarian engagement with the Palestinian issue, rather than as a departure from its established position on the conflict.
Hilale’s remarks came as he addressed the wider role of the Non-Aligned Movement, calling on the grouping to adapt to the changing international system and strengthen its ability to address contemporary challenges.
He argued that the movement should develop its working methods and consultation mechanisms to formulate practical proposals on issues ranging from climate change and artificial intelligence to cybersecurity and transnational crime.
The Moroccan diplomat also highlighted the Kingdom’s South-South cooperation with African countries, pointing to initiatives including the Royal Initiative to facilitate Sahel countries’ access to the Atlantic Ocean, the Atlantic African Initiative, and the Atlantic African Gas Pipeline project.
But on Gaza, Hilale returned to what Morocco considers the central elements of its position: support for Palestinian rights, the preservation of Al-Quds’ status, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, and humanitarian assistance to the population.
Morocco's participation in the stabilization force, according to Hilale's presentation, is therefore being framed by Rabat as a practical extension of these longstanding commitments, combining a security role with humanitarian assistance on the ground.
