Sam Benshtrit, head of the World Union of Moroccan Jews, declared that “Israel must recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over its Sahara”, in the context of linking Israel’s recognition of the Moroccanness of the Sahara to Morocco’s hosting of the Negev summit.
According to what was reported by the Spanish press, Benshtrit, who is also considered the head of the “National Committee for the Commemoration of the Late King Hassan II”, which he founded with the former Israeli President, Shimon Peres, is affected by every time he recalls his ten meetings in Rabat with the late Hassan II, During one of these meetings, he said that he was ready to go to Morocco with 40 Jewish officers of Moroccan origin, to defend the Kingdom’s sovereignty over the Sahara.
It was also stated, according to the same source, that Benshtrit announced that “even after the passage of years, I am still fighting for the international community to recognize the territorial integrity of the Kingdom”, Moreover, according to the president of the World Federation of Moroccan Jews, Israel has a “moral duty”, not only to recognize but also to promote throughout the world Morocco’s sovereignty over its historical lands.
“Morocco is synonymous with tolerance, peace, dialogue, and coexistence between different cultures and religions”, the speaker said from his office, where the Moroccan flag was fluttering. “There is real religious freedom in Morocco. We must also remember that in Europe where the Enlightenment was born, the Jews were persecuted and Morocco protected them, Moroccan Jews and Jews around the world should be grateful to the Kingdom of Morocco and its rulers, who throughout their history have always refused to discriminate between their subjects”, he said.