Moroccan King Approves Military Service Bill

Moroccan authorities block access to Martyrs' Cemetery in Rabat March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer
Moroccan authorities block access to Martyrs' Cemetery in Rabat March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer
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Moroccan King Approves Military Service Bill

Moroccan authorities block access to Martyrs' Cemetery in Rabat March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer
Moroccan authorities block access to Martyrs' Cemetery in Rabat March 26, 2015. REUTERS/Stringer

Morocco's cabinet, chaired by King Mohammed VI, adopted Thursday in Marrakesh a bill reinstating compulsory military service.

This includes two drafts on determining the modalities of counting, selecting and integrating conscripts for military service, the procedures for granting exemptions from this service, and defining the procedure for voluntary conscription for women and Moroccan expatriates.

The drafts also set the wages, allowances, and benefits for recruits, as well as the special allowances granted to recruits serving in the southern regions, said a statement read out by the spokesperson for the Royal Palace AbdelhaK Lamrini.

In a bid to activate the provisions of the law on military service, King Mohammed VI, Supreme Commander and Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Armed Forces, gave his instructions to work on recruiting ten thousand troops during the current year. This number will be raised to 15,000 next year, the spokesman added.

Further, the ministerial council ratified eight agreements aiming to reinforce cooperation ties with several international countries – the agreements include the establishment of the headquarters of the African Observatory for Migration in Rabat and the establishment of the National Office of the kingdom of Morocco on the United Nations Human Settlements Program.

In another context, the King appointed several ambassadors at the proposal of Morocco's Prime Minister Saadeddine Othmani, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Nasser Bourita.

He appointed Youssef Slaoui as ambassador to Burkina Faso, Ahmed Rahhou as ambassador to the European Union, Hassan Tariq as ambassador to Tunisia, Mohamed El Basri as ambassador to the Netherlands, Mustapha Benkhiyi as ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain and Imane Ouadil as ambassador to the Republic of Ghana.

The monarch also appointed Abderrahim Atmoun as ambassador to the Republic of Poland, Abdelfettah Lebbar as ambassador to the Mexico and Mohamed Achkalou as ambassador to the Republic of Finland.



Swiss Move to Dissolve Gaza Aid Delivery Group's Geneva Branch

Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
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Swiss Move to Dissolve Gaza Aid Delivery Group's Geneva Branch

Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
Palestinians gather to collect what remains of relief supplies from the distribution center of the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, June 5, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo

Switzerland on Wednesday initiated proceedings to dissolve the Geneva branch of the controversial, US- and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation aid group, citing legal shortcomings in its establishment.

The GHF began handing out food packages in the Gaza Strip at the end of May, overseeing a new model of aid deliveries that has drawn UN criticism over a perceived lack of neutrality in Gaza's war as well as the killings of hundreds of Palestinians in mass shootings near its distribution hubs, Reuters reported.

The GHF is registered in the US state of Delaware and had registered an affiliate in Geneva on February 12.

"The ESA may order the dissolution of the foundation if no creditors come forward within the legal 30-day period," the Federal Supervisory Authority for Foundations (ESA) said in a creditors notice published in the Swiss Official Gazette of Commerce on Wednesday.

The ESA told Reuters the GHF had not fulfilled certain legal requirements including having the correct number of board members, a postal address or a Swiss bank account.

"GHF confirmed to the ESA that it had never carried out activities in Switzerland...and that it intends to dissolve the Geneva-registered (branch)," the ESA said in a statement.

Last week, Geneva authorities issued a separate legal notice to the GHF to remedy within 30 days "deficiencies in the organization" or face potential action.

More than 500 people have been killed near GHF distribution hubs in Gaza or along access roads guarded by Israeli forces since the GHF started operating, according to Palestinian medical authorities in the territory.

Israel's military acknowledged on Monday that Palestinian civilians have been harmed near the distribution centers and its forces had been issued new instructions following what it called "lessons learned".

The GHF has said that it has delivered more than 52 million meals to needy Palestinians in five weeks and that other humanitarian groups had "nearly all of their aid looted".

There is an acute shortage of food and other basic supplies in Gaza after a nearly two-year war by Israel against militant group Hamas that has displaced most of the enclave's two million inhabitants and left much of it in rubble.