US embassy cable - 05RABAT2436

C O N F I D E N T I A L RABAT 002436 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
C O R R E C T E D COPY (ADDED CAPTION) 
 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG, NEA/IPA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, MO 
SUBJECT: PALACE ADVISOR AZOULAY DISCUSSES ISRAEL-MOROCCO 
RELATIONS 
 
 
Classified By: POLOFF MARCEL MARTINEZ FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D) 
 
1.  (C) SUMMARY: Ambassador met with Andre Azoulay, Royal 
Advisor to King Mohammed VI and a prominent Jewish Moroccan, 
on December 2 to discuss Azoulay,s early November visit to 
Israel, which included meetings with the senior Israeli and 
Palestinian leaderships and a stop in the Gaza Strip. 
Azoulay noted that Morocco,s decision to help Palestinians 
is a "political choice."  In Gaza, Azoulay visited "old 
friend" Mahmoud Abbas, who told Azoulay "we need you" and 
asked the Moroccans to "use your leverage" to help 
Palestinians vis a vis Israel.  Azoulay also highlighted the 
growing importance that Moroccan Jews play in the current 
Israeli political environment, occupying leadership 
positions.  He believed that the majority of Moroccans are 
open to the idea of warmer relations with Israel, but that 
some, particularly the Islamists, do not agree with 
normalization, essentially equating it to treason. 
Discussing contacts he enjoyed with the US in the 1990s', 
Azoulay expressed some disappointment that the US does not 
seek out his advice more on the peace process.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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Azoulay Visits Israel 
--------------------- 
 
2.  (SBU) On December 2, the Ambassador, accompanied by 
Poloff, called on Royal Advisor Andre Azoulay to discuss 
Azoulay,s November recent trip to Israel and the Gaza Strip. 
 Azoulay headed a delegation of Moroccan Jews, which included 
Moroccan Jewish community leaders Serge Berdugo and Robert 
Ashraf, to Israel November 3-4 to participate in a forum 
entitled "Moroccan Jewry and its Dispersion."  According to 
press reports, Azoulay met with Israeli President Katsav, 
Prime Minister Sharon, and then-Vice Prime Minister Peres. 
Azoulay also visited the Gaza Strip where he met with 
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.  Putting his recent 
visit into context, Azoulay explained that for the past 40 
years, long before he was a counselor to the king, he has 
been engaged in a process for peace between Israelis and 
Palestinians.  Commenting on his personal involvement in the 
peace process, Azoulay remarked that despite his Jewish 
ancestry his "paradoxical" objective is to help Palestinians. 
 
 
3.  (SBU) Moving to Moroccan objectives, Azoulay noted that 
Morocco is not involved in Israeli-Palestinian relations for 
philanthropic reasons or because of the large number of 
Moroccan Jews, but that it is a "political choice" to help 
Palestinians.  In his view, peace between Israelis and 
Palestinians certainly would be welcomed by the international 
community, but more importantly, peace would benefit Morocco. 
 However, Azoulay commented to the Ambassador that Morocco 
has recently been less engaged politically on peace-related 
issues. 
 
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Mahmoud Abbas:  We Need Morocco's Help 
-------------------------------------- 
 
4.  (C) Describing his six-hour meeting with "my old friend 
Mahmoud Abbas" in the Gaza Strip, Azoulay said that Abbas 
presented to him a list of actions Morocco could take to help 
improve the Palestinian position.  According to Azoulay, 
Abbas said in a reference to Moroccan support in dealing with 
Israel, "we need you" and "we need you to use your leverage." 
 
 
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Demographic Realities 
--------------------- 
 
5.  (SBU) Highlighting the growing importance of Moroccan 
Jews in Israel, Azoulay described the leadership role 
Moroccan Jews play in current Israeli politics.  He said 
Moroccan Jews enjoy large representation in Israel,s 
political scene.  Azoulay singled out Amos Peretz, the new 
head of the Israeli Labor Party and good friend of Azoulay, 
as demonstrating Moroccan influence in Israel. (NB: Peretz is 
a Moroccan Jew born in the northeastern Moroccan town of 
Oujda, but left Morocco at the age of four.)  Azoulay also 
noted that a large portion of the Israeli Likud Party,s 
administration, a several prominent religious leaders in 
Israel, and 40 percent of mayors and municipal leaders of 
Israeli cities are of Moroccan descent. 
 
6.  (SBU) With their Arab and Jewish cultures intertwined, 
Azoulay noted that the 600,000 Jews of Moroccan descent 
living in Israel are in a very unique position to foster 
links between Arabs and Jews. (NB: Other reporting commonly 
cites the number of Israelis of Moroccan descent as closer to 
900,000).  Azoulay described an event he attended in Israel 
 
at which a Jewish leader led a chant in Arabic that put the 
mixed crowd at ease, and also set a positive tone for the 
rest of the conference.  That was the kind of bridging role 
that Moroccans could play, Azoulay emphasized. 
 
7.  (SBU) Azoulay also added that Moroccan Jews in Israel are 
now third generation.  In his view, their links back to 
Morocco and its culture have become stronger from one 
generation to the next.  He explained that, for their own 
pleasure and to preserve their Moroccan identity, Moroccan 
Jews have done all they can to keep their Moroccan memories, 
language, music, and cuisine. 
 
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Moroccan Public Open to Normalization 
------------------------------------- 
 
8.  (SBU) Azoulay said a majority of Moroccans approve of 
normalizing relations with Israel, but that some in Morocco 
do not agree.  He explained that a segment of the population, 
particularly the Islamists, do not like the idea of warmer 
relations with Israel and think it is equivalent to "treason" 
by the government.  Azoulay emphasized to Ambassador that no 
matter how much opposition he receives because of his stance 
on the issue, he will not alter his commitment to 
normalization between Morocco and Israel.  (Note:  Not 
surprisingly, Morocco,s Islamist Party of Justice and 
Development (PJD) reacted negatively to the Azoulay visit, 
calling on Morocco not to move forward in normalizing with 
Israel.  Since Azoulay,s return, two Israeli 
parliamentarians participated in a Euro-Med parliamentary 
conference in Rabat, also drawing the ire of the PJD and 
triggering a small sit-in Rabat in which participants 
reportedly denigrated Azoulay personally). 
 
9.  (C) On the possibility of reopening the Israeli liaison 
office in Rabat, Azoulay said it was not discussed during his 
visit and that it is "not on the agenda."  Azoulay does not 
think the liaison office is an important issue, because the 
office "can be open one day and closed the next."  Instead, 
he believes Morocco and Israel need to work on structural 
issues that will help strengthen their relationship, because 
as he noted, "there is still lots to do." 
 
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Unexploited Expertise? 
---------------------- 
 
10.  (SBU) Turning to his previous cooperation with the USG 
on Israeli-Palestinian issues, Azoulay recounted the good 
contacts he enjoyed with the US in the 1990s and early 2000. 
He expressed some disappointment that the US no longer 
consults him or asks him to work on peace process projects. 
 
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"Alliance of Civilizations" 
--------------------------- 
 
11.  (C) Azoulay provided a brief description of the United 
Nations High-Level Group for the Alliance of Civilizations, 
which Azoulay is involved in, and its mandate.  (Comment: 
Azoulay is frequently involved in religious and cultural 
activities that bring together Arabs, Jews, and Christians). 
He sees his role in this endeavor as trying to find a way to 
pacify, reconnect, and organize relations between Muslim 
states and the West.  While mentioning a concept paper on the 
topic that is underway, Azoulay revealed that he has a 
difference of opinions with fellow group member Mohammed 
Khatami, former Iranian President.  Azoulay did not provide 
details on the divergence. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
12.  (C) Azoulay clearly appreciated this opportunity to 
share his views on issues he obviously cares deeply about. 
He remains prominent among the King's royal advisors and is 
an important interlocutor between Israel and Morocco, 
although President of the Moroccan Jewish Community Serge 
Berdugo appears to be play a more significant role as a 
go-between when particularly sensitive issues are at stake. 
Azoulay's visit to Israel, during which Katsav invited King 
Mohammed to visit Israel, was likely designed to show that 
Morocco remains open to deepening engagement with Israel and 
has no complex about public interactions with Israeli 
officials.  The GOM also seeks to keep the issue of 
normalization in the Moroccan public eye by periodically 
engaging with Israeli officials, although senior Moroccan 
officials rarely visit Israel. 
Riley