Zionist Goods Flood Moroccan Markets

TANGIER, September 15, 2005 – Whether smuggled or as a result of the booming trade relations between the Jewish state and Morocco, Zionist goods have become a de facto sight in Moroccan markets, with citizens purchasing the low-cost goods, regardless of their origin.

Whenever you go in the north African country, it is no surprise to see Moroccan merchants display Zionist goods, despite attempts to hide their identity by removing its "made in Israel" mark, to attract their clients, says IOL correspondent.

"At first, Moroccans used to refuse to buy the Zionist goods I was displaying and they even blamed me for purveying such goods," a Moroccan merchant told on condition of anonymity.

He said he then used to remove the "made in Israel" logo to hide the goods' identity to attract consumers.

"But now, some people, though they are still few, purchase the goods, paying no heed to where it came from even if they were made in Israel."

According to IOL correspondent, Zionist goods are smuggled into the Arab country through the city of Ceuta, under Spanish control, by Moroccan merchants due to their low cost, which give them high profits.

Everywhere

A short visit to the city of Tangier in northern Morocco shows how Zionist goods have become a normal thing for Moroccans in the city.

Dozens of Moroccan children are seen in the streets buying different kinds of sweet and chocolates, which carry the mark "made in Israel" in English and Hebrew.

Even if you tried to buy goods other than the Zionist ones, you would find the Zionist commodities inevitably at your hands, IOL correspondent says.

Abdel Hamid, Moroccan, in northern Morocco, decided to buy a swimming suit. When he did, he discovered that his new cloth was "made in Israel".

Ali Shamoti, from Rabat, also found out that his newly purchased electronic devices; a camera and a radio device, were "made in Israel".

But Zionist goods are not confined to the north of the country. They can also be found in the farthest Moroccan areas.

Many Moroccans told IOL that many Jewish merchants in Ceuta and Melilla, who carry the Spanish nationality, are playing a major role in smuggling the Zionist goods into the Arab country.

Booming Ties

The booming Zionist-Moroccan trade relations have also been a major factor in the growing invasion of the Zionist goods to Moroccan markets.

According to Zionist estimates, Zionist exports to Morocco have increased by 43% in 2005.

Zionist-Moroccan trade relations have been booming over the past years.

An Zionist delegation visited Morocco five years ago to probe means of developing the agriculture and irrigation techniques in the country.

A Moroccan business delegation also paid a visit to Tel Aviv to have a hand-on experience in the fields of agriculture and electronics.

The year 2003 saw more Moroccan-Zionist rapprochement, culminating in a visit by Zionist Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom to the kingdom on September 1, 2003, the first by a senior Zionist official since diplomatic relations were strained in October 2002.

The Zionist Liaison Office in Morocco was closed after the outbreak of Al-Aqsa Intifada against the Zionist occupation in September 2000.

Political Goal

Moroccan economic experts believe that displaying Zionist goods in the Arab country mainly aim to overcome people's rejection to normalize relations with the Zionist entity, rather than achieving economic benefits.

"Purveying the Zionist goods in Morocco carries political, not economic, purposes," a former official in the Moroccan agriculture ministry told IOL.

He added that flooding the Arab country with Zionist goods mainly aims at overcoming people's rejection of normalizing relations with Tel Aviv.

"This could turn into a big economic profit for the Zionist entity in the near future as it is expected that the Zionist exports to Morocco would reach hundreds of millions of dollars."

He, however, warned that the Zionist commodities in Morocco could cause a disaster to the Moroccan people.

"Morocco had suffered an agricultural disaster due to the Zionist seeds which spoiled the majority of tomato crops in Morocco years ago."