Ismail Haniyeh visits Morocco

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Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas political bureau, arrived in Morocco as head of a delegation. He was invited by the Justice and Development Party.

Haniyeh's visit is part of a series of visits he's making to countries of the region. This is his first visit to Morocco, where he was received by the Moroccan Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani, who affirmed his support for the Palestinian people, their resistance, and their victory. Haniyeh will also have meetings with national parties and bodies.

Upon his arrival in Morocco, Haniyeh said that this visit comes at the time of the victory of the resistance over the enemy in occupied Palestine, stressing that geographically distant Morocco is in direct contact with Al-Quds (occupied Jerusalem).

Haniyeh, in a joint press conference with Moroccan Prime Minister Saad-Eddine El Othmani, clarified, "If Morocco is geographically far away, it is in the heart of the Arab and Islamic world and is in contact with Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa in the past, present, and future," referring to Morocco Gate and Moroccan Quarter in Al-Quds.

He added, "We look at embracing the Moroccan people with all its political parties and components as a strategic depth for our people, our sanctification, and our limits."

Haniyeh reviewed the recent developments in Palestine before and after the battle of Seif al-Quds, both the attempts to displace the Palestinian people from the holy city and the attempts to control Damascus Gate and storm Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In that context, he said, "As a people, we only had the option to represent our nation, stand in the face of the Israeli arrogance, and protect Al-Aqsa with our souls and arms and nullify these projects that aim to steal history and geography and attack the principles of the Ummah," stressing that the resistance succeeded in defeating the occupier within the framework of this confrontation that the Palestinian people fought.

He stressed that "victory would not have been achieved without the grace of Allah, then the unity of our people, then the peoples of our Ummah standing with us, and the free people of the world who supported the Palestinian people in this battle whose title was Al-Quds."

"We will comprehensively discuss many files of common interest related to the developments of the situation on the Palestinian arena and the region," he added.

For his part, the Moroccan Prime Minister affirmed that the Moroccan people consider the Palestinian cause their cause, which was translated into the millions of rallies over a decade in solidarity with the Palestinian people on multiple occasions, pointing to the continuous work of the Bayt Mal Al Quds foundation headed by the King to support Jerusalemites and preserve the identity of Al-Quds.

Al-Othmani reviewed the King's positions rejecting the deal of the century and the Judaization of Al-Quds, pointing to "the last of these positions directing support to Gaza and the West Bank during the recent Israeli violations."

He stressed "the importance of Palestinian unity to strengthen the Palestinian cause and stand in the face of the occupation's plans, and affirmed the Justice and Development Party's support for the Palestinian people and their resistance and support," considering that "strengthening the relationship with all Palestinian groups is a relationship of friendship and cooperation."

He added, "I hold the hands of the Palestinian people and their resistance, and I especially mention the residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in Al-Quds, as they represent us in defense of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque and Al-Quds."