A group of activists recently launched a legislative initiative to grant Moroccan nationality to the children and descendants of Moroccan Jews, in accordance with Law No. 64.14, which establishes the conditions and procedures for such legislative applications, as amended.
This initiative was launched via the National Citizen Participation Portal, and a copy was given to Rachid Talbi Alami, Speaker of the House of Representatives. For the request to be examined and decided by Parliament within sixty days, it will be necessary to collect 20,000 signatures.
Houcine Benmessaoud, the representative of this initiative, said the objective was to ” maintain the link between Jews of Moroccan origin, Amir al-Mouminin (Commander of the Faithful), and their country of origin by restoring Moroccan nationality for generations who have lost it“.
In a statement to MoroccoLatestNewsBenmessaoud explained that “ the children and descendants were unable to maintain their Moroccan nationality after the departure of their parents and grandparents, due to geographical remoteness, political, security or legal conditions in their country of residence“.
He pointed out that ” the legislative proposal finds its constitutional basis in the second paragraph of the preamble of the Constitution, as well as in articles 14 and 71. It is also based on the speeches of King Mohammed VI, Amir al-Mouminin, and his benevolent predecessors, from a political, religious and cultural point of view“.
The representative of this initiative recalled that ” Jews and Muslims lived together in Morocco in harmony under the aegis of Amir al-Mouminin, sharing the same difficulties and achievements, from the Spanish expulsion to the revolution of the King and the people, passing through independence, the green march, the Pledge of Allegiance ceremony, and Morocco’s success at last year’s World Cup“.
The text of the request, viewed by MoroccoLatestNews, provides for the granting of Moroccan nationality to all Moroccan Jews who have already abandoned it, as well as to all their children and descendants. Requests to this effect will be processed by the external services of the Ministry of the Interior in Morocco and by the consular services for residents abroad.
The request also proposes that the courts of first instance consider applications for naturalization according to the last place of residence of the father or grandfather, and that decisions made in this regard can be appealed to the courts. superiors, as well as before a ministerial committee proposed to monitor and manage applications for naturalization.
The initiators of this request also propose that the State provide various facilities, resources and means to facilitate the economic, political, religious, cultural and social integration of the children and descendants of Moroccan Jews.
In addition, the initiators of the request seek to create an independent national body, endowed with legal personality, which would be responsible for the religious affairs of Moroccan Jews and would work to restore the economic, financial and cultural rights of the Moroccan Jewish community which have been compromised during their collective departure from Morocco.
The legislative request was filed with the House of Representatives office in conjunction with Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana’s visit to Morocco on Wednesday, June 7. Amir Ohana himself has Moroccan origins, which adds a special meaning to this initiative.