The Arab Index 2025 highlights key trends in Moroccan public opinion on the Palestinian issue and normalization with Israel, revealing overwhelming opposition to recognition and a strong attachment to the Palestinian cause as a shared Arab issue. The findings also underscore a clear gap between official policy choices and prevailing public sentiment in Morocco. Archive ‹ › The Arab Index 2025, released by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies and based on a survey of more than 40,000 respondents across 15 Arab countries, sheds light on Moroccan public opinion regarding the Palestinian issue and the recognition of Israel. Conducted over more than 413,000 hours and involving around 1,000 researchers, the survey reveals an overwhelming rejection of normalization among Moroccans. According to the findings, 89% of Moroccan respondents oppose recognizing Israel, placing Morocco among the Arab countries most resistant to normalization, alongside Libya (96%), Jordan (95%), and Kuwait (94%). This stance persists despite the official normalization agreement signed between Morocco and Israel in 2020. The data also point to a sharp decline in acceptance of recognition since normalization. While 20% of Moroccans expressed support for normalization in 2022, shortly after the agreement was signed, that figure has fallen dramatically to just 6% in 2025. This drop highlights a growing gap between official policy and public opinion, suggesting that normalization has not gained popular support and has instead reinforced rejection among the population. The Palestinian issue as a shared Arab cause The survey further shows that the Palestinian cause continues to resonate strongly with Moroccan respondents. Sixty-four percent agree that the Palestinian issue is a concern for all Arabs, not only for Palestinians themselves. By contrast, 24% believe it is primarily the responsibility of Palestinians to address and resolve the issue. Beyond foreign policy, the Arab Index also explored views on governance and state practices. In Morocco, only 33% of respondents believe that the law is applied equally to all citizens without discrimination, a figure below the Arab regional average of 40%. Meanwhile, 43% of Moroccans feel that while the state includes all citizens, it discriminates in favor of certain groups. This is slightly higher than the regional average of 37%, pointing to a widespread perception of unequal treatment and favoritism. The 2025 edition of the Arab Index covered Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Syria, where the center conducted its first such survey since the fall of the previous regime.
