Fez - Despite Egyptian journalists’ consistent harsh attacks against Morocco, the Kingdom made no official declaration, as the country’s leadership is sober enough to preserve a stable relationship between the two countries. However, Moroccan mass media’s stance toward the Egyptian regime has changed.
Though the Egyptian President was welcomed by the Moroccan sovereign in June 2014, following his election, and a visit to Morocco was proposed to the Egyptian president last September, the Egyptian media have conducted a series of verbal attacks on Morocco that have had negative effects on bilateral diplomatic relations.
2014 was marked by repeated attacks from the Egyptian media on Morocco, instigating a series of controversies. Near the end of December, an Egyptian television presenter criticized the fact that the royal family has mobilized five aircraft to travel to Turkey. In July, an Egyptian presenter surmised that the Moroccan economy was based on "prostitution" and that AIDS cases are numerous and proliferating in the Kingdom. Recently, another journalist slandered Morocco, describing it as a land of sorcery and black magic.
Similarly, The General Secretary of Fatwa at Al Azhar, the main religious institution in Egypt, also said that the date that Morocco celebrated the last Eid El Kebir was incorrect, and accused the kingdom of "violating the consensus of Muslims."
As a reaction, Morocco national television has taken a new position on the Egyptian regime. On January 1, Al-Aoula and 2M news channels both aired a report on the political and social situation in Egypt since the coup d’état by Abdelfattah Al-Sisi.
Al-Aoula devoted its analysis to the situation of chaos and instability that have marked Egypt since Sisi’s inauguration as President. It also stated that "Morsi is the democratically elected president" and uses the term "coup" eight times. 2M TV, in its French edition, in turn spoke of "the oppression of Al-Sisi towards his opponents," indicating that Egyptians are bewildered by the current President and military.
Pro-Sisi newspapers like Al Yawm Al Sabii ascribed what it called an attack of the Moroccan media against Egypt to "maneuvers of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Morocco with the aim of undermining the regime of Al-Sisi," without citing any sources. Despite these media attacks, "Morocco approves the regime of Al-Sisi" since "King Mohammed VI was among the first to congratulate Al Sisi at his inauguration,” the Egyptian newspaper further declared.
Morocco’s official reaction concerning the events has been mature. The Ambassador of the Kingdom in Egypt, Mohammed Saad Alami, said to Egyptian Al Yawm Al Sabii newspaper, "There are people behind this unknown stories in 2M and Al-Aoula, and their goal is to undermine Moroccan-Egyptian relations."