Leon Benzaquen (Tangier, 1902 – Casablanca, August 1977[1]) was a Moroccan doctor who became the personal doctor for KingMohammed V of Morocco, and the first Moroccan Jewish minister after Morocco received its independence in 1956, in its first independent government.[2][3] He was first appointed as telegraph and Communications minister and later minister of Health,[4] a post occupied by Benzaquen until 1958.[5]
Dr. Leon Benzaquen
When Morocco received its independence in 1956, the Jewish community held quite a few respectable political positions, including three parliamentarian seats and one cabinet post as mail and telegraph minister.[3][6] Upon receiving its independence in 1956, the Sultan insisted upon the appointment of Leon Benzaquen, while the Jewish community was unable to reach a consensus on whom to send as a representative to the cabinet. coincident with his appointment Benzaquen expressed his favor opinion on the Jewish right to emigrate, pending it will not include pressure or propaganda. The problem at the time was the objection of various forces in Morocco to a mass Jewish emigration that will play into the hands of the Jewish Agency for Israel, however the right to emigrate was in fact recognized on an individual basis. He also claimed that Morocco and Tunisia may play a role in mediating between the Arab states and Israel, and that despite not being able to express their opinion in public, the Moroccan leaders do not sense any sympathy towards Gamal Abdel Nasser or other Arab dictators in the middle east.[4]
The prevailing view is that Benzaquen remained neutral during the Morocco's struggle for independence, due to an internal Jewish struggle among Jewish-Moroccan modernists, graduates of AIU, Zionists, and traditionalists (In 1944, he refused to sign the first Independence Manifesto of the "Istiqlal" group, who opposed the occupation but also the kingdom).[2]
Despite this gesture of good will towards the Jewish-Moroccan community, in appointing Leon Benzaquen to a ministerial post, Benzaquen did not survive in occupying the post when there was a government reshuffle for the first time in Morocco since it received its independence, and Jews in Morocco were no longer appointed to the cabinet[4][6] (until the '80s).[3]
References
^"Mémoire : Léon Benzaquen, premier Marocain juif devenu ministre". Zamane (in French). 2020-05-16. Retrieved 2023-04-04.
^ abIsraeli Independence and Moroccan Independence Movement, rickgold.home.mindspring.com
^ abcAhmed El Amraoui, Jewish woman in Morocco poll fray, Al Jazeera website, 7 September 2007
^ abcAJC - M E M O R A N D U M - Irving M. Engel Interviews With Dr. Leon Benzaquen of Morocco and Premier Bourguiba of Tunisia, 4 December 1956 (PDF)
^André Goldberg, "'Les juifs du Maroc" (paris, 1992) pp. 88, 90–91 2011-07-14 at the Wayback Machine
^ abNorman Steilmann, "יהודי מדינות ערב בזמנים המודרניים" (2003), pp. 172–173 ISBN0-8276-0370-3
June 03, 2023
leon, benzaquen, tangier, 1902, casablanca, august, 1977, moroccan, doctor, became, personal, doctor, king, mohammed, morocco, first, moroccan, jewish, minister, after, morocco, received, independence, 1956, first, independent, government, first, appointed, te. Leon Benzaquen Tangier 1902 Casablanca August 1977 1 was a Moroccan doctor who became the personal doctor for King Mohammed V of Morocco and the first Moroccan Jewish minister after Morocco received its independence in 1956 in its first independent government 2 3 He was first appointed as telegraph and Communications minister and later minister of Health 4 a post occupied by Benzaquen until 1958 5 Dr Leon Benzaquen When Morocco received its independence in 1956 the Jewish community held quite a few respectable political positions including three parliamentarian seats and one cabinet post as mail and telegraph minister 3 6 Upon receiving its independence in 1956 the Sultan insisted upon the appointment of Leon Benzaquen while the Jewish community was unable to reach a consensus on whom to send as a representative to the cabinet coincident with his appointment Benzaquen expressed his favor opinion on the Jewish right to emigrate pending it will not include pressure or propaganda The problem at the time was the objection of various forces in Morocco to a mass Jewish emigration that will play into the hands of the Jewish Agency for Israel however the right to emigrate was in fact recognized on an individual basis He also claimed that Morocco and Tunisia may play a role in mediating between the Arab states and Israel and that despite not being able to express their opinion in public the Moroccan leaders do not sense any sympathy towards Gamal Abdel Nasser or other Arab dictators in the middle east 4 The prevailing view is that Benzaquen remained neutral during the Morocco s struggle for independence due to an internal Jewish struggle among Jewish Moroccan modernists graduates of AIU Zionists and traditionalists In 1944 he refused to sign the first Independence Manifesto of the Istiqlal group who opposed the occupation but also the kingdom 2 Despite this gesture of good will towards the Jewish Moroccan community in appointing Leon Benzaquen to a ministerial post Benzaquen did not survive in occupying the post when there was a government reshuffle for the first time in Morocco since it received its independence and Jews in Morocco were no longer appointed to the cabinet 4 6 until the 80s 3 References Edit Memoire Leon Benzaquen premier Marocain juif devenu ministre Zamane in French 2020 05 16 Retrieved 2023 04 04 a b Israeli Independence and Moroccan Independence Movement rickgold home mindspring com a b c Ahmed El Amraoui Jewish woman in Morocco poll fray Al Jazeera website 7 September 2007 a b c AJC M E M O R A N D U M Irving M Engel Interviews With Dr Leon Benzaquen of Morocco and Premier Bourguiba of Tunisia 4 December 1956 PDF Andre Goldberg Les juifs du Maroc paris 1992 pp 88 90 91 Archived 2011 07 14 at the Wayback Machine a b Norman Steilmann יהודי מדינות ערב בזמנים המודרניים 2003 pp 172 173 ISBN 0 8276 0370 3 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Leon Benzaquen amp oldid 1149290958, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
