Join on WhatsApp
Join on Telegram
Casablanca- According to Dutch news agency Novum, Frans Timmermans, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, has recently urged HM King Mohammed VI to prevent the adoption of a law seen as anti-Israeli law.
Last Thursday, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs urged HM King Mohammed VI, before the Dutch parliament, to prevent the adoption of the controversial draft law which is aimed at illegalizing any relations with Israel and with Israeli nationals.
“I count on Morocco’s wisdom,”said Mr. Timmermans, responding to a question he was asked in the Dutch government, adding that “the Sovereign along with the government have to prevent such a law from seeing the light of day.”
According to the draft law, which was presented by five parliamentary groups, the presence of Israelis in Morocco would be strictly prohibited, and would be deemed an “offense”punishable by “two to five years of incarceration and a fine between MAD 100,000 and MAD 1 million.”
If passed, the anti-Israeli law would also ban the participation of Moroccans, both those residing in the Kingdom or in Israel, in Israeli-related activities.
However, this is not the first time HM the King has been called upon to stop the anti-Israeli law from being adopted. In November 2013, a global Jewish human rights organization addressed a letter to King Mohamed VI urging him stop the anti-Israeli law from being enacted.
The letter was sent by Dr. Shimon Samuels, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre’s Director for International Relations.
“In your absence, various groups in your Parliament plan to damage Morocco’s reputation for tolerance, its standing as a Western ally and its long history of warm ties with the Moroccan Jewish Diaspora in the United States, Europe and Israel,”he states in his letter.
Since the anti-Israeli law was announced, many Moroccans, both Jews and Muslim, have been condemning it and warning against its negative repercussions.
“It would be a shame for our country to join the fanatics, because Morocco is known for its multicultural and multi-religious tolerance,”states Michel Attias, a Moroccan Jew living in California.
“Moroccans please do not fall in this trap, the people with these insane ideas have no idea of the consequences our dear country will endure. We stand for a free Morocco with obviously the respect of each other’s religion and culture,”Attias adds.
“Israel is Israel and being a Jew does not mean that you agree with Israel’s acts and policy.”
Edited by Elisabeth Myers
© Morocco World News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten or redistributed.
