PALACE ADVISOR AZOULAY DISCUSSES ISRAEL-MOROCCO

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
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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
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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
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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
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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?
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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"
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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
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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