Activists launched, via Morocco’s National Participation Portal, a petition to grant Moroccan citizenship to descendants of Moroccan Jews. The initiative was adopted by civil activists and actors and submitted to the speaker of the Lower House, Rachid Alami, and it requires 20,000 signatures within 60 days for parliamentary consideration.
This initiative would enable the children and descendants of Moroccan Jews to benefit from their bond with King Mohammed VI, and the remainder of their constitutional, political, religious, cultural, economic, social and other rights. It also aims to pre-empt any potential forms of discrimination, and to promote their integration into society.
The petitioners advocate granting Moroccan nationality to all Moroccan Jews who had previously renounced it, as well as to their children and grandchildren. Applications would be processed domestically by the Ministry of Interior’s external services, and overseas by consular services.
The petitioners recommend that citizenship applications be considered by the courts emanating from the last country of residency of the applicant’s father or grandfather. Decisions could be appealed to higher courts or a proposed ministerial committee overseeing citizenship requests.
The petitioners propose the establishment of an independent national body to deal with the religious affairs of Moroccan Jews, and to work to restore the economic, financial, and cultural rights of the Moroccan Jewish community affected by their departure from the country.
The legislative petition was presented to the Lower House, coinciding with the visit of the Speaker of the Israeli Parliament, Amir Ohana, to Morocco, who is of Moroccan origin.