Israeli officials praised Morocco’s King Mohammad VI for his decision to incorporate education about the Holocaust into his country’s curriculum. His decision was made public by Morocco’s Education Minister Said Amzazi in a high-level meeting at the United Nations General Assembly last week. Moroccan news website Le Desk reported on the decision on Wednesday.
The message from Mohammad VI was that anti-Semitism it the “antonym of freedom of expression.” The king elaborated that anti-Semitism “manifests the negation of the other and is an admission of failure, insufficiency and inability to coexist.”
“The battle against this plague can not be handled carelessly,” Mohammad VI’s message continued. “[The battle] is fought neither with the military nor with money, it above all depends on education and culture.” He added, “This battle has a name: education. And in the interest of our children, it is important for us to win it because they will be the beneficiaries and our ambassadors in the future.”
The decision was praised by Michael Oren, Deputy Minister in Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Office.
Morocco’s King Muhammad V sent a profound moral message to the world. Anti Semitism & Holocaust denial is rising in the West, the leader of a proud Arab country is introducing Holocaust education into Moroccan schools with the goal of fighting anti-Semitism. There is indeed hope.
— Michael Oren (@DrMichaelOren) October 5, 2018
UNESCO director Audrey Azoulay, the daughter of one of Mohammed’s chief advisers, Andre Azoulay, welcomed the move.
“To address antisemitism, it is to defend the equal dignity for all human beings,” Azoulay tweeted. “Education is the best tool to prevent all forms of discrimination.”
Audrey is the Parisian-born daughter of King Mohammed VI’s his personal adviser, Andre Azulay, who is Jewish.
