The recent remarks of the Palestinian Minister of Youth and Sports, Jibril Rajoub, during an interview with an Algerian channel, aroused strong indignation in Morocco. According to the Palestinian ambassador in Rabat, Jamal Choubki, the words of Rajoub, who is also president of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, may have been misunderstood“.
In an exclusive statement to MoroccoLatestNewsJamal Choubki specified that “ Palestine, in principle, does not interfere in disputes between Arab countries “and that the position of his country in this regard” did not change“.
The diplomat also pointed out that ” his country supports the resolutions of the United Nations and the Arab League” who insist on the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of countries and strongly reject support for the formation of groups and armed militias outside state institutions.
The statements of the Palestinian Minister of Youth and Sports, made during his visit as a guest of an Algerian television channel, sparked wide controversy on social networks.
” Unfortunately, there is a symphony being played by Americans and Israelis to integrate Israel into the Middle East and North Africa region, and circumvent the Palestinian issue. In this context, there has been a normalization in the Gulf and in North Africa“, said the Palestinian official in particular, referring to Morocco.
And to add: “AIn the Gulf, they tried to set up an Israeli-led +Gulf security+ system to deal with Iran as if the latter were the enemy, and we salute the Saudis who realized that was a illusion and that Israel does not want to fight Iran and will not do so for the security of the Gulf or for its stability“, in reference to the recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
The Palestinian official did not stop there. He felt that “itcounting on Israel, even on the United States, so that the Sahara becomes Moroccan or Algerian, is a false calculation, I think that appealing to the Israelis or believing that Israel can be a source of strength for someone or weaken someone ‘one is not correct and will not be“.
” I think that the Algerian position, which consists in resorting to the referendum and to the dialogue with the brothers and to exclude and remove the enemies of Algeria and Morocco, is the right choice or the right approach (…) It is a shame to use Israel as a lifeline, and that is our position,” he asserted.
Abdelhamid Benkhattab, professor of political science at Mohammed V University in Rabat, commented on Rajoub’s statements, saying that ” many Palestinian officials, in their attempts to please and satisfy the Algerian leadership and regime, fall into such rhetorical games“.
Solicited by MoroccoLatestNewsthe political scientist estimated that “ the statements of the Palestinian Minister of Youth and Sports, given his responsibility, engage him alone and represent a personal position which does not reflect the official positions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). It is simply a circumstantial speech in the context of the policy of benevolence adopted by certain Palestinian officials towards Algeria, and they can in no way be attributed to the Palestinian Authority.“.
Benkhattab explained that ” such statements are part of personal visits by some Palestinian leaders to Algeria, and therefore they are politically bound to make a few speeches that serve Algeria, no more and no less“.
” Official positions emanate from the Palestinian presidency and official leaders of the Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority“, he concluded.