Morocco Considers Extending Citizenship to Descendants of Moroccan Jews

A copy of the initiative was handed over on Wednesday to Rachid Talbi Alami, President of the House of Representatives, on the sidelines of the visit to Morocco of the President of the Israeli Knesset, Amir Ohana, of Moroccan origin. But a petition of 20,000 signatures should be filed before the examination and vote of this request by parliament. The initiative aims 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 to the generations who have lost it," explains Houcine Benmessaoud, the spokesperson for the group of activists, to Hespress.

"The legislative proposal finds its constitutional basis in the second paragraph of the preamble to the Constitution, as well as in Articles 14 and 71. It is also based on the speeches of King Mohammed VI and his benevolent predecessors, from a political, religious and cultural point of view," he adds, recalling that "Jews and Muslims have 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, through independence, the Green March, the ceremony of the oath of allegiance, and Morocco’s success in last year’s World Cup."

The legislative proposal provides for the granting of Moroccan nationality to all Moroccan Jews who have lost it, as well as to their children and descendants. The processing of nationality applications will be entrusted to the services of the Ministry of the Interior in Morocco and the consular services for residents abroad. The courts of first instance will also be called upon to examine the naturalization applications on the basis of the last place of residence of the father or grandfather, it is indicated. Their decisions will be subject to appeal before the higher courts and a ministerial committee that will be set up to monitor and manage these naturalization applications.

The initiative also proposes the provision by the State of means and resources to facilitate the economic, political, religious, cultural and social integration of the children and descendants of Moroccan Jews. The activists also suggest the creation of an independent national body, responsible for the religious affairs of Moroccan Jews, which should work to restore the economic, financial and cultural rights of the Moroccan Jewish community.