Preparations are underway in Morocco for the declaration of the Jewish-Berber Friendship Association on Valentine's Day, fueling speculation about the ulterior motives behind the unusual step in an Arab country.Secretary General of the Moroccan Berber Democratic Party (Parti Démocratique Amazigh Marocain) Ahmed Adgherni defended the move by the Rural Berber Friendship Association in the Mediterranean port city of al-Hasima, saying it gives Berbers the chance to play a role in the Arab-Israeli conflict.Adgherni denied that the step aims at retaliating against the government for refusing to recognize the Berber party.
Despite being legally registered in court, Moroccan security forces banned the party's first congress, and the Ministry of Interior filed a lawsuit to ban the party altogether.
"Our problem is with the Minister of Interior who belongs to a mafia lobby that governs politics in Morocco. They were the reason behind canceling two speeches by King Mohamed VI in which he was supposed to tackle the Berber issue.
We are awaiting the court's decision."Adgherni dismissed the fact that any relations with Israel will provoke the Moroccan government and stated that Moroccan-Israeli relations are no secret."
The Israeli president was at the funeral of King Hassan II here in Rabat. It's just that some people think they can monopolize relations with Israel, and we proved them wrong."
Berber activist Mounir Kejji also denied accusations that his people are bracing themselves for a confrontation with the government by seeking the support of Israel.
"We must separate our support for the Palestinians from our relations with the Jews. We refuse to make the Palestinian problem overshadow our national cause.
The Palestinian cause has been given so much attention all over the Arab world, but no one supported us in our struggle for Ceuta and Melilla or the Western Sahara.
"On the other hand, Secretary General of the Democratic Way (La Voie Démocratique) Marxist party Abdellah el-Harif said the move provokes Arabs and Berbers alike and comes an extremist minority within the Berber community."
These are people who want to prove that Berber identity is not Arab, and this is not true. Morocco is both Arab and Berber, and we call for the rights of Berbers under the banner of one unified Morocco.
Plus, almost all Berbers reject normalization with Israel.
"Kejji stressed that his party issued a statement renouncing the association and everyone linked to it. This led party member at al-Hasima Mohamed Mohei to submit his resignation since he is one of the founders of the association.Moroccan writer and journalist Ali Anouzla sees the establishment of this association as part of a series of actions aimed at provoking the government and which started with Adgherni's visit to Israel.
Anouzla agreed that this is an individual step that does not represent the Berber community: "This initiative has no popular support, be it Arab or Berber."
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