British MP commends Moroccan King’s interfaith dialogue & protection of religious minorities

Member of UK Parliament Daniel Kawczynski has praised King Mohammed VI’s interfaith dialogue, leadership, and protection of religious minorities.

During a Westminster Hall debate held lately at UK Parliament, the Conservative MP (Shrewsbury and Atcham) said: “I have been visiting the country for many years, and I have seen a multi-faith, multicultural, inclusive society. I have visited many mosques, synagogues and churches during my visits”.

Pope John Paul II visited Morocco in August 1985, when he was hosted by late King Hassan; that was the Polish Pope’s first visit to any Muslim nation, said member of the ruling conservative party.

In 2019, Pope Francis visited Morocco, land of co-existence and tolerance, said Mr. Kawczynski, paying tribute to King Mohammed VI for his leadership and vision, and the way he nurtures interfaith dialogue throughout the country.

The Moroccan Monarch, he said, promotes interfaith dialogue not only among Jews, Christians and Muslims at home, but he also extends important support to sub-Saharan African countries and help them defuse ethnic and religious tensions that have so blighted sub-Saharan Africa and caused so much instability in the region.

During the 2nd World War, late King Mohammed V was pressed by Vichy France and Nazi Germany to expel all the Jews from Morocco but he responded firmly: “There are no Jews. There are no Muslims. There are only Moroccans”, said the British MP.

Late King Mohammed V did not give in despite the huge pressure exerted by Vichy France to do what some European countries did: shepherd their Jewish population into the clutches of the Vichy regime or Germany. Ultimately, “we all know what happened to those Jewish people who were sent to Auschwitz”.

The late Moroccan Monarch provided “safe haven” for Jews during the Holocaust. He is remembered as the protector and guardian of Moroccan Jews who are for ever grateful for the royal heroic stand.

The Alaouite kings always stood by the Jewish community. They made it clear that Jews had a place in Morocco. Late King Hassan II was a lifelong advocate for Muslim-Jewish coexistence. King Mohammed VI has followed in his forebears’ footsteps.

The 2011 Moroccan constitution states that the country’s “indivisible national identity” has been “nourished and enriched” by “Hebraic” influence, among others. And in recent years, the king has led the way in promoting Moroccan Jewish culture.