The Justice and Development Party (PJD) is set to hold its 9th congress on April 26 and 27. According to the Islamist party's website, members of the Palestinian Hamas movement will be present during the opening session. Their presence has been fully endorsed by the PJD's Secretary-General. «It is a great honor for us», declared Abdelilah Benkirane during a meeting of the PJD's General Secretariat held on Saturday. «Those who called for Hamas not to be invited to our congress should be taken to court, as His Majesty the King has affirmed that the Palestinian cause is as important as our national cause (...). Our indignation for Palestine is as strong as our commitment to the territorial integrity of our country». Abdelilah Benkirane also emphasized that «Hamas, through its struggle and the sacrifice of its martyred leaders, as well as thousands of residents from Gaza, the West Bank, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and elsewhere, has changed the course of the Palestinian cause». The announcement of Hamas representatives attending the PJD congress has sparked criticism in some Moroccan circles—particularly as the Islamist organization did not publicly thank the kingdom for the humanitarian aid sent to Gaza following the Israeli offensive, as reported by Yabiladi. While Hamas will attend the congress, the Head of Government and president of the National Rally of Independents (RNI), Aziz Akhannouch, will not. This decision was also made by Abdelilah Benkirane.
