VZCZCXRO9763
OO RUEHROV
DE RUEHRB #0005 0051335
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 051335Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY RABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9509
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHCL/AMCONSUL CASABLANCA IMMEDIATE 4441
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0883

UNCLAS RABAT 000005 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/FO AND NEA/MAG 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PHUM PINS ASEC KPAL KWBG MO
SUBJECT: 100,000 IN RABAT PROTEST GAZA ATTACKS; GOM LEADS 
ARAB GROUP IN UN 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Perhaps 100,000 or more protesters gathered 
peacefully in Rabat on January 4, to condemn what they called 
&the Israeli aggression against Gaza.8  Protesters included 
top leaders from government, parliament, major political 
parties and civil society, with heavy participation by 
students.  They demanded an immediate halt to the Israeli 
incursion and air attacks and called for humanitarian access. 
 The protest focused on Israel and on Arab governments, 
particularly Egypt, with relatively limited mention of the 
USG.  Foreign Minister Fassi Fihri has gone to New York to 
join the UN debates.  Morocco reportedly was vocal at the UN 
as leader of the Arab group.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The crowd, numbered by the police as 35,000 to 
50,000, was described as over 100,000 demonstrators by 
credible national media.  Organizers claimed involvement of 
over 1 million, but that may have been a nationwide figure. 
Among noted participants, were the Ministers of Justice, 
Finance and Communications, who is also the government 
spokesman (some reportedly in kaffiyehs), and the Speaker of 
Parliament's Chamber of Deputies, suggesting that the event 
had tacit government blessing, but was also under tight 
control.  In fact, protesters remained essentially within the 
authorized route and time frame and did not venture near the 
Embassy. 
 
¶3.  (U) Protesters vehemently denounced what they called 
&Arab and international silence and connivance.8  They 
urged the UN Security Council to protect the Palestinian 
people and pressure Israel to open the crossing points and 
let humanitarian aid and medical help into Gaza. 
 
¶4.  (U) The ire of the crowd was directed primarily towards 
Israel but also towards Egyptian President Mubarak for having 
&sold Gaza for (U.S.) dollars8.  There was little direct 
criticism of the U.S., unlike in the 2006 Lebanon war.  The 
newspaper published by the Prime Minister El Fassi's 
nationalist Istiqlal party headlined, however: "The genocide 
continues with the green light of the USA and the West." 
Among the more colorful expressions were the burning of the 
Israeli flag and the brandishing of shoes. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) There have been other protests around the country. 
Students apparently spontaneously mobilized to launch 
numerous school strikes and marches over the past week in 
towns both large and small, according to resident Americans. 
More formal organized demonstrations elsewhere were 
reportedly banned or quickly dispersed. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Foreign Minister Taieb Fassi Fihri has arrived in 
New York as a member of the high-level Arab League delegation 
to the UN.  Morocco also reportedly is the rotating chair of 
the UN Arab group.  In that capacity, its PermRep was 
reported as having given a strong speech calling for an end 
to the attacks and the blockade of Gaza. 
 
 
***************************************** 
Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website; 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/rabat 
***************************************** 
 
Riley