Moroccan Government Refutes Citizenship Claims for Jewish Descendants
In recent days, rumors have circulated regarding a legislative proposal from the Moroccan government aimed at easing the process for descendants of Moroccan Jews to obtain citizenship. However, both political and civil sources within Morocco have firmly denied these claims, asserting that the existing legal frameworks already allow all citizens, regardless of their faith, to acquire nationality through clear and non-discriminatory procedures applicable to Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike.
International and Moroccan media have reported that the government had referred a legislative proposal to the parliament, which allegedly seeks to grant citizenship to the children and grandchildren of Moroccan Jews who emigrated. This news was based on a post published on the "National Portal for National Participation" managed by the ministry responsible for parliamentary relations, which was first introduced in October 2024. The media portrayed it as a new initiative, but it has been clarified that this is not the case.
The proposal reportedly discusses the "suffering" faced by Moroccan Jews due to loss of citizenship stemming from lineage, citing compelling circumstances such as the distance of their countries of residence from Morocco, travel difficulties, as well as political, security, economic, or social challenges in their host countries. However, after a government council meeting, the official spokesperson and minister responsible for parliamentary relations, Mustapha Baitas, emphasized that the proposal discussed in recent media was dated and originated in 2024, thus dispelling any notions of a new initiative.
Furthermore, Nadia Al-Tahami, a parliamentary member and a member of the petitions committee in the House of Representatives, publicly stated that no legislative proposal has been submitted to the parliament concerning citizenship for the children and grandchildren of Moroccan Jews who emigrated. She affirmed that neither the committee nor the parliament received any such proposal, contradicting the reports circulated by various Moroccan and international media outlets.
Under Moroccan law governing the conditions and procedures for submitting legislative petitions, a proposal must gather at least 20,000 signatures before it can be referred to parliament. However, this particular proposal has garnered only 20 signatures since its initial posting in 2024. Although it highlights the challenges faced by Jewish descendants in acquiring and retaining citizenship, various stakeholders interviewed by "Sky News Arabia" confirmed that Moroccan Jews have rights guaranteed by the constitution, allowing them to obtain citizenship and passports without any complications.
Jacky Cadouch, the head of the Jewish community in the Marrakech-Safi region, expressed astonishment at the revival of this proposal and the misinformation surrounding it, asserting that it has been raised several years prior. He clarified that descendants of Moroccan Jewish emigrants do not face any obstacles in obtaining citizenship or passports, emphasizing that there is no need for a petition or new law.
Cadouch reiterated in an exclusive interview with "Sky News Arabia" that Jews are "Moroccan citizens enjoying the same rights as guaranteed by the constitution," stressing that all discussions surrounding this issue are merely "a tempest in a teapot" lacking substance. He added that Moroccan Jews who left in the 1950s and 1960s for Israel or other regions easily return to Morocco and acquire their nationality and passports without issues.
Moreover, he noted that hundreds of Jews have obtained citizenship and passports in recent years, highlighting that some children of Jewish emigrants only need documentation proving their grandparents' birth in Morocco to complete the necessary procedures through the liaison office in Tel Aviv. He confidently stated that he possesses a list of over 300 grandchildren who successfully acquired Moroccan citizenship without any complications over the past years.
Suzan Abitan, president of the International Moroccan Association for Tolerance, echoed Cadouch's sentiments, affirming that children and grandchildren of Moroccan Jews who have migrated abroad can return and obtain their Moroccan nationality without complications. She reiterated in an exclusive interview with "Sky News Arabia" that there are no issues in obtaining citizenship and denied any discrimination between Jews and individuals of other faiths.
According to Abitan, if any children born to parents or grandparents in Morocco wish to obtain Moroccan citizenship, they simply approach the relevant authorities and submit their request, which typically takes one to two months before they receive their nationality.
In the same vein, Faisal Marjani, president of the "Morocco for Coexistence" association, affirmed that the children and grandchildren of Moroccan Jews acquire citizenship through the same processes as Muslim and Christian Moroccans, denying any form of institutional discrimination. He expressed uncertainty regarding the purpose of the legislative proposal, questioning whether it aims to streamline the naturalization process.
In conclusion, the ongoing discourse surrounding the citizenship claims for descendants of Moroccan Jews has been met with substantial denial from government officials and community leaders alike, reinforcing the notion that Moroccan law provides equitable access to citizenship for all its citizens, regardless of their religious background.
As reported by skynewsarabia.com.
