The American Jewish Committee expressed the hope today that French Morocco’s nearly 250,000 Jews–most of whom now have the inferior status of proteges of the Sultan–will have equal rights along with their Moslem neighbors when the French Government carries out its plan to give the North African protectorate a representative government.
“We are encouraged both by the actions of the French Government and the declarations of nationalist leaders in French Morocco,” asserted the AJC in a statement released by Irving M. Engel, president, “When the French Government included two representatives of French Moroccan Jewry in the Aix-Les-Bains discussions, this was a major step for ward in the recognition of the rights of Moroccan Jews to have a voice in helping deter mine their future and the future of their country.
“Recent declarations by Moroccan nationalist leaders that the Jews of Morocco will have equal rights are most heartening Of course a number of major changes will have to be made in the structure of the present Moroccan theocratic state which discriminates against Jews in several ways.
“The Jews of Morocco have suffered a great deal from the recent disorders All responsible sources confirm the fact that these unfortunate incidents were the result of a general state of unrest in Morocco and with a few exceptions, were not directed against Jews as such. The principal goals of Moroccan Jewry are equal economic, social, religious and cultural rights; political representation; and freedom of movement. No obstacle should be put in the way of those who wish to leave and they should be given the right to emigrate to Israel and elsewhere with their belongings.”
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.
