Rubio's Morocco Trip: A Diplomatic Farce Ignoring Hostages and Palestinians

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s recent meeting with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita was billed as a triumph of diplomacy. The two leaders, cloaked in the rhetoric of peace and security, leaned heavily on the U.S.-Morocco alliance to tout progress in a region teetering on the edge. They celebrated shared priorities, from economic growth to the Abraham Accords, while issuing stern demands for Hamas to free hostages trapped in Gaza’s chaos. It’s a narrative that sounds noble, almost heroic, until you peel away the gloss and see what’s missing.

The reality hits hard. As of April 2025, 59 hostages still languish under Hamas’ grip, despite a phased deal last year that freed 33 others. Temporary ceasefires brokered by the U.S., Egypt, and Qatar have crumbled, and Israel’s military operations have roared back to life. Meanwhile, Morocco’s much-lauded Autonomy Proposal for Western Sahara sits like a stubborn anchor, touted as the ‘only feasible solution’ by Rubio and President Trump. But feasibility for whom? Not the Sahrawi people yearning for self-determination, nor the Palestinians watching their dreams of statehood erode under the weight of diplomatic pageantry.

This isn’t a partnership advancing justice; it’s a handshake preserving a status quo that benefits the powerful. The U.S. and Morocco deserve scrutiny, not applause, for papering over the human cost of their geopolitics. Hostages, Palestinians, and Sahrawis aren’t chess pieces to be traded for stability, they’re people whose lives demand more than platitudes.

Let’s talk about those hostages. Since Hamas’ brutal October 2023 attacks, the world has watched a agonizing saga unfold. Families wait, hollowed out by grief, as negotiations stutter and fail. Last year’s deal was a flicker of hope, 33 souls returned home, civilians and soldiers alike. But Hamas digs in, refusing to release the remaining 59 despite extended ceasefires, wielding them as bargaining chips for more Palestinian prisoners. Israel, predictably, responds with force, its rescue missions like Operation Golden Hand in 2024 showcasing bravery but also exposing the limits of military might when hostages’ lives hang in the balance.

The U.S. position, parroted by Rubio, is clear: Hamas must let them go, now. Fair enough, no one disputes that. Yet where’s the outrage over the broader failure? International efforts, from Qatar’s mediation to the Red Cross’ quiet pleas, have secured piecemeal releases before, think back to the 2023 prisoner swaps. History shows diplomacy can work, imperfectly but tangibly. So why does this administration lean so hard on Morocco’s ‘leadership’ instead of rallying a global coalition to pressure Hamas with real humanitarian muscle? It’s as if the hostages are a footnote to a larger game of regional control.

Morocco’s role here isn’t negligible. King Mohammed VI has pushed for ceasefires and aid to Gaza, a stance that aligns with his Al-Quds Committee chairmanship advocating a two-state solution. That’s commendable, even vital. But when Rubio ties Morocco’s diplomatic clout to Trump’s rigid demands, it risks turning a potential peacemaker into a prop for U.S. policy. Hostages need action, not symbolic nods from Rabat.

Then there’s the Abraham Accords, the golden child of Trump’s foreign policy, now expanding under his second term. Since 2020, these agreements have knitted Israel closer to the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, fostering trade and security ties that dazzle the eye. Israel’s defense exports to Arab states hit $3 billion in 2022 alone, a testament to the accords’ economic pull. Rubio and Bourita hailed this as a cornerstone of regional stability, a bulwark against chaos. It’s a compelling story, until you ask who’s left out.

Palestinians see it differently. While Arab states cozy up to Israel, settlement expansions in the occupied territories have surged, fueling tensions that erupted in the 2023 Hamas attack. Critics, including voices from Saudi Arabia, argue the accords sidestep the root issue: a fair resolution for Palestine. Morocco, to its credit, still calls for East Jerusalem as Palestine’s capital, a stance that clashes with the accords’ Israel-centric glow. Yet its normalization with Israel, tied to U.S. recognition of Western Sahara, feels like a transactional trade-off, not a principled stand.

Supporters of the accords insist they’re a pragmatic step toward peace, and sure, the tech deals and joint defense networks are real. But pragmatism that ignores Palestinian statehood isn’t peace, it’s a pause button on justice. The U.S. and Morocco could push harder, leveraging the accords to demand concessions from Israel, not just Hamas. Instead, they polish a trophy that shines brighter for some than others.

Nowhere is this disconnect starker than in Western Sahara. Rubio doubled down on Trump’s 2020 pledge, affirming Moroccan sovereignty and backing the Autonomy Proposal as the sole path forward. Morocco’s governance model, they say, stabilizes a volatile region. France recently echoed this, joining a growing list of nations nodding at Rabat’s claims. It’s a tidy solution, until you hear the Polisario Front’s cries for independence or the African Union’s recognition of Western Sahara as a sovereign state. The UN still calls for a referendum, a promise unfulfilled since 1991.

The U.S. framing reeks of convenience. Recognizing Morocco’s control came out of nowhere in 2020, a quid pro quo for its Israel deal. Stability matters, no question, but at what cost? Sahrawis chafe under Moroccan rule, their self-determination buried under ‘autonomy’ that keeps power in Rabat’s hands. Critics point to settlement policies violating international law, a charge Morocco shrugs off. Clashes with Polisario have flared since 2020, proving this isn’t a settled issue, it’s a simmering wound.

Morocco’s economic ties with the U.S., sweetened by trade deals like the Free Trade Agreement, bolster this stance. Agricultural exports flow, military exercises like African Lion flex muscle, and counterterrorism goals align. It’s a partnership with perks, but justice for Western Sahara’s people isn’t one of them. True peace would prioritize their voices, not silence them under a banner of sovereignty.

The U.S.-Morocco alliance isn’t inherently flawed; it’s just misdirected. Hostages still suffer, Palestinians see their future shrink, and Sahrawis wait for a say in their fate. Rubio and Bourita’s meeting laid bare a truth: diplomacy that props up power without tackling root causes is a hollow shell. The Abraham Accords could be a tool for broader peace, not just a photo op. Morocco’s voice could bridge divides, not echo Washington’s line.

It’s time to demand more. Pressure Hamas, yes, but also press Israel and Morocco to face the human toll of their policies. Hostages deserve freedom, Palestinians a state, and Sahrawis a choice. Anything less is a betrayal of the peace Rubio claims to champion, and we can’t afford to settle for that.