The murder of two Jews, in Casablanca and Meknes, has alarmed
Morocco's Jewish community. Jewish sources in Casablanca say
some Moroccan workers threatened to kill their Jewish
employers.
The king of Morocco, Mohammed VI, ordered the security
services to protect the Jews and apprehend the murderers. The
king has demonstrated goodwill towards the Jews and knows
that protecting their security will help protect his reign,
but he does not know how to fully protect them against the
hostile Islamic climate. The security services have been
given the freedom to suppress the Islamic threat as they see
fit and have increased protection for the heads of the
kehilloh and the botei knesses. Serge Barduga,
the president of the Jewish community, is surrounded by
bodyguards.
The murder took place following a trial of an Islamic terror
network arrested in the paupers' quarter after suicide
attacks on Casablanca's Jewish centers and preceding the
municipal elections, and a French terrorist who converted to
Islam was sentenced to death.
In Meknes, Eli Efrat was murdered while walking to the
beis knesses on Shabbos morning. The Moroccans claim
the motive for the murder may have been criminal due to his
business dealings as a money lender. Previously two veiled
gunmen murdered Albert Rebibo in a Casablanca marketplace.
Eyewitnesses say they saw the two shoot him in the back and
flee the scene by pulling a woman out of her car and driving
away. In this instance the authorities admitted the motive
was antisemitic terrorism.
Moroccan Jews say they feel more and more threatened. Arturo
Nochi, a Jewish industrialist, said when they walk in the
streets people shout, "What are you doing in Morocco?"
A total of 4,000 Jews remain in Morocco. Those who can leave
the country are currently making preparations. Victor Maman,
head of a Jewish club, said, "One more assassination and
everyone will flee."
In Sunday's local elections the Islamists failed to increase
their power. In some places they maintained their
representation, but did not gain enough power to appear as an
influential factor in the government and they clearly lack
the grassroots base needed to threaten the present rule. Yet
this does not diminish the threat of Islamic terror and the
ability to do damage developing in impoverished neighborhoods
under the influence of Al Qaeda and Hamas.
