By William Crawford
The Moroccan government has imposed limits on what can and cannot be said during religious addresses regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Discourse around the role the Moroccan government plays in determining the subject matter of the countries imams was reignited by socialist lawmaker Nabila Mounib, who went as far as to claim that “No imam can speak about the Palestinian issue”. Imams in Morocco are employed by the state, and are subject to restriction regarding the subject of their sermons. Limitations concerning the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict are part of the state enforced Moroccan practice that sermons not be overtly political. The Ministry of Islamic Affairs refutes this claim. According to the Ministry, Imams are free to address the ongoing conflict, but may not invoke the idea of jihad.
State control over imams is part of Morocco’s long-standing policy of framing itself as a tolerant and welcoming Muslim country. Morocco is one of four Arab states to have normalized relations with Israel in 2020. Since the beginning of conflict in Israel-Palestine, regular demonstrations have broken out demanding an end to diplomatic ties with Israel. These protests have united Moroccans from across the political spectrum. Discontent for Moroccan policy towards Israel has seen even the monarchy, a broadly popular institution in the country, come into open question.Despite government opposition in multiple states, the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict remains a popular subject for the world’s imams. Overwhelming support for Palestine in Morocco has raised many questions about the proper role of government in religion. Morocco’s most famous political prisoner was, after all, arrested for interrupting a sermon to ask whether mosques served God or the monarchy.
The Patterson Journal of International Affairs 
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