Moroccan Jews were today mourning the death of King Mohammed V. Special services will be held in synagogues throughout Morocco, in commemoration of the late King’s liberal attitude which dates back to 1942, when he refused to countersign decrees by the pro-Nazi Vichy regime introducing anti-Jewish legislation.
During the Nazi years, the Moroccan ruler fought with determination Marshall Petain’s decision to introduce yellow stars for Jews in the North African protectorate. Jews also remember that, upon the creation of the State of Israel, the Moroccan ruler had refused to take part in the Arab anti-Israel campaign.
Only a few days before his death, King Mohammed V lifted the emigration ban for the Moroccan Jews. It is feared that the King’s death might bring into question again the emigration of Morocco’s Jews as the new King, Hassan II, will be able to count only on the nationalistic Istiqlal party and the armed forces and will be opposed by many of the other movements, including the Union Nationale des Forces’ Populaires, which are basically opposed to the monarchy.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
