After the Israeli strike on Qatar, Abdelilah Benkirane dramatizes and addresses Arab leaders

The latest statement by Abdelilah Benkirane, Secretary-General of the Justice and Development Party (PJD), has sparked strong reactions in political circles and on social media. During the party’s governing body meeting on Saturday, September 13, the former Prime Minister expressed fear that “the PJD headquarters in Rabat could be targeted by Israel,” a remark many considered closer to caricature than a serious political statement.

In his speech, Benkirane used the example of the Israeli strike on Qatar to warn of the dangers facing all countries that have normalized relations with Tel Aviv. “What happened to Qatar could happen to any other state, including Morocco,” he said, emphasizing that the security of Arab citizens and existing regimes was now threatened.

The Islamist leader then addressed a warning to Arab heads of state, reminding them that “the contract that binds them to their people” could be broken if citizens continued to feel permanently insecure. In a dramatic tone, he highlighted that the loss of trust could lead to new upheavals in the region, similar to the Arab Spring, which had brought Islamist movements to power before their decline.

However, Benkirane clarified that he was not calling for open war against Israel. He urged Arab leaders to take symbolic yet firm measures, such as breaking diplomatic relations or, failing that, summoning Israeli ambassadors in protest. According to him, “mere condemnation statements are useless,” and only a strong collective stance could send a clear message.

At the same time, the PJD Secretary-General drew multiple comparisons, positioning himself at times as a defender of Arab and Islamic causes, and at other times as a resistance figure akin to leaders of protest movements. This rhetoric, full of exaggeration and hyperbole, was met with irony by some observers, who see it more as an attempt to regain media and political visibility than a genuine contribution to regional debate.

Beyond the controversy, this intervention highlights the dilemma of the PJD, weakened since its 2021 electoral defeat and searching for new momentum. By raising the Israeli threat, Abdelilah Benkirane seeks to mobilize his base and reaffirm his commitment to the Palestinian cause. Yet by sometimes confusing political discourse with theater of the absurd, he risks having his message relegated to satire, far from the geopolitical issues he aims to address.