Moroccan hash producers boycott Israeli market in support of Gaza

Moroccan hash producers/retailers, who until now have benefited from Israeli demand, have announced a boycott, citing their solidarity with the suffering Palestinians in Gaza.

Morocco has traditionally been a key player in the cannabis trade, particularly in hashish production. The Rif region in the north of the country is synonymous with intensive and extensive cannabis cultivation, supplying the whole of Europe, and a little more. The reputation of the product precedes it, as buyers are generally looking for a good quality product. that sustains an entire region.

The geopolitics of hashish

The decision to boycott Israeli buyers marks a major break with the status quo. Israeli drug dealers, accustomed to sourcing Moroccan hashish, now find themselves sidelined against a backdrop of geopolitical tensions. An anonymous Israeli dealer, interviewed by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, deplores the financial losses incurred, highlighting the economic impact of the boycott.

A hash seller from the Rif mountains, identified only as R., confirmed that a boycott had in fact been imposed on Israeli sellers. «Why should Israelis be able to make a living selling Moroccan hash while our Palestinian brothers go hungry and live in inhumane conditions,» he told Mako.

«Go and buy it elsewhere. We no longer sell hashish to the Israelis. Before the war, we used to trade here with them. Smugglers and sellers used to come here and make a lot of money. Now it's over», he declared.

Although Israel accounts for a relatively small share of the Moroccan hashish export market, the repercussions are deeply felt.

«Hashish dealers in Morocco are not willing to sell us more hashish, either directly or through intermediaries,» a drug dealer from Israel told Israeli newspaper N12, «They decided to boycott us because of the war. Since the war, we've lost a lot of money. Tens of millions of shekels at least.

The boycott also highlights the complex network of players involved in the drug trade. From Moroccan growers to Israeli smugglers, the supply chain crosses borders and eludes categorization. The involvement of various actors, including Jewish students turned smugglers, underlines the porous nature of illicit networks.

For Israel, the boycott amplifies the geopolitical isolation resulting from ongoing conflicts in the region. Neighboring countries are increasingly distancing themselves from Israel, with implications that go beyond the drug trade.