Morocco’s National Rally of Independents Calls for Talks on Electoral Laws

 The meeting among members of Morocco’s National Rally of Independents
The meeting among members of Morocco’s National Rally of Independents
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Morocco’s National Rally of Independents Calls for Talks on Electoral Laws

 The meeting among members of Morocco’s National Rally of Independents
The meeting among members of Morocco’s National Rally of Independents

Morocco’s National Rally of Independents (RNI) has called on all political parties to swiftly launch dialogue on electoral laws and political reforms.

Following a meeting held by its politburo on Tuesday, the RNI, which is a member of Morocco’s governing coalition, called in a statement for more coordination to increase the pace of comprehensive reform.

The statement didn’t mention rumors on the resignation of Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Aziz Akhannouch from the party leadership. The news has been denied by RNI officials over the past two days.

According to the statement, Akhannouch presided the meeting and gave a detailed presentation on the political situation.

He pointed to his performance as head of the agriculture sector and the results of the implementation of the country’s green plan.

RNI’s politburo also tackled the new development strategy for the agricultural sector dubbed “Green Generation 2020-2030” and the new strategy on protecting forests.

Both strategies were launched mid-Feb. by King Mohammed VI in the province of Chtouka Ait Baha.

The politburo praised on Tuesday the goals, approaches and mechanisms of the new plan.

It said the plan aims at creating jobs and a middle class in rural areas in line with an innovative agricultural system.

It also reiterated its unconditional support for the efforts made by Minister of Industry, Trade and Green and Digital Economy Moulay Hafid El-Alamy to protect Morocco’s sovereign interests and enhance the national industry and the commercial sectors’ competitiveness.



Israeli Defense Minister Says He Will End Detention without Charge of Jewish Settlers

Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)
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Israeli Defense Minister Says He Will End Detention without Charge of Jewish Settlers

Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)
Palestinians look at damaged cars after an Israeli settlers attack in Al-Mazraa Al-Qibleyeh near Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, November 20, 2024. (Reuters)

Israel’s new defense minister said Friday that he would stop issuing warrants to arrest West Bank settlers or hold them without charge or trial — a largely symbolic move that rights groups said risks emboldening settler violence in the Israeli-occupied territory.

Israel Katz called the arrest warrants “severe” and said issuing them was “inappropriate” as Palestinian militant attacks on settlers in the territory grow more frequent. He said settlers could be “brought to justice” in other ways.

The move protects Israeli settlers from being held in “administrative detention,” a shadowy form of incarceration where people are held without charge or trial.

Settlers are rarely arrested in the West Bank, where settler violence against Palestinians has spiraled since the outbreak of the war Oct. 7.

Katz’s decision was celebrated by far-right coalition allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. National Security Minister and settler firebrand Itamar Ben-Gvir applauded Katz and called the move a “correction of many years of mistreatment” and “justice for those who love the land.”

Since Oct. 7, 2023, violence toward Palestinians by Israeli settlers has soared to new heights, displacing at least 19 entire Palestinian communities, according to Israeli rights group Peace Now. In that time, attacks by Palestinian militants on settlers and within Israel have also grown more common.

An increasing number of Palestinians have been placed in administrative detention. Israel holds 3,443 administrative detainees in prison, according to data from the Israeli Prison Service, reported by rights group Hamoked. That figure stood around 1,200 just before the start of the war. The vast majority of them are Palestinian, with only a handful at any given time Israeli Jews, said Jessica Montell, the director of Hamoked.

“All of these detentions without charge or trial are illegitimate, but to declare that this measure will only be used against Palestinians...is to explicitly entrench another form of ethnic discrimination,” said Montell.