American Jewish Committee Mourns Death of Morocco's King Hassan II

American Jewish Committee
Friday, 23 July 1999

The American Jewish Committee today mourned the death of King Hassan II of Morocco, an Arab leader steadfastly committed to Middle East peace. AJC leaders had met with King Hassan on several occasions.

AJC Executive Director David A. Harris issued the following statement on behalf of the Committee, an organization actively supportive of the Arab-Israeli peace process:

"At critical points in the 38 years he ruled Morocco, King Hassan made bold, visionary contributions to the quest for Middle East peace. Indeed, without Hassan's crucial interventions as a builder and facilitator of negotiations, the paths traveled by Israel in the last two decades toward peace with Egypt, the Palestinians and Jordan would have been significantly more difficult.

"As he helped lay the foundation for a Middle East at peace, King Hassan also recognized the special role in his kingdom's history and culture of the Moroccan Jewish community. He repeatedly reached out to Moroccan Jews - those still living in the kingdom and the greater number who left for Israel and other destinations after 1948 - while at the same time forcefully rejecting the anti-Western and anti-Israel appeals of Islamic extremism.

"As the American Jewish Committee honors the memory of King Hassan, we express our condolences to the Moroccan people and to the royal family. King Hassan's passing is a profound loss for his country and the world. He was a leader of courage, of peace, of tolerance, and of dignity. We mourn his death deeply."

For more information, or to contact American Jewish Committee, see their website at: www.ajc.org