![Israel must continue to be able to deter Hezbollah, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar stressed on Wednesday, speaking amid efforts to reach a ceasefire with Iran's Lebanese terrorist proxy. "We need to keep the freedom to act if there will be violations. And we will have to act in time, before the problem will grow," the minister told a gathering of nearly 100 foreign ambassadors in Jerusalem, the Times of Israel reported. A deal to end more than a year of fighting on the northern border must be durable, Sa'ar said, saying Jerusalem “would like to reach an agreement that will stand the test of time." He added that a ceasefire would be an "opportunity" for Lebanon to regain its sovereignty after the Israeli military severely degraded the Iranian-backed group in recent months. He called for the Lebanese Armed Forces to be strengthened and urged the international community to invest more in the economically devastated country, which is drowning in debt following years of mismanagement and corruption. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz also emphasized on Wednesday the necessity for Jerusalem to be able to act against any Hezbollah threats that may arise after a ceasefire deal is implemented. “The condition for any political settlement in Lebanon is the preservation of the intelligence capability and the preservation of the [IDF’s] right to act and protect the citizens of Israel from Hezbollah,” Katz said. Meanwhile, U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein remained in Beirut for a second day on Wednesday to discuss "technical details" of an American ceasefire proposal with Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who heads the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement. President Joe Biden's point man in the Land of the Cedars announced he would travel to Israel on Wednesday night, speaking after he made "additional progress" in a second meeting with Berri. Hochstein was scheduled to meet with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer shortly after his arrival, followed by a tête-à-tête with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the following day. “The meeting today built on the meeting yesterday, and made additional progress,” Hochstein said. “So I will travel from here in a couple hours to Israel to try to bring this to a close if we can.” The Biden envoy added that he will work with the incoming Trump administration on ceasefire efforts, saying that he has kept the president-elect's transition team informed of progress. Hochstein described as "very productive" his meetings with Lebanese officials on Tuesday. “We have a real opportunity to end the conflict, and now is the moment to decide. We are committed to doing everything we can to work with Lebanon and Israel to end this conflict,” Hochstein said at a press conference on Tuesday. Hochstein also met on Tuesday with Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, and he was scheduled to meet with Lebanese Armed Forces commander Gen. Joseph Aoun. Mikati emphasized that Lebanon’s primary objectives are achieving a ceasefire and safeguarding its sovereignty. He highlighted the need to implement international resolutions and bolster the Lebanese Armed Forces in the southern part of the country. Lebanon delivered its written response to the latest U.S. proposal on Monday. According to Ali Hassan Khalil, an aide to Berri, the response included “comments” that were “presented in a positive atmosphere.” He did not provide details on the nature of the comments, saying only that they “affirm the precise adherence to [U.N. Security Council] Resolution 1701 with all its provisions,” according to Reuters. Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem said in a speech on Wednesday that the terrorist group had "read the ceasefire proposal. "We have our comments, and Nabih Berri has comments, and ours and the Lebanese government's comments are, Inshallah ['God willing'], identical," Qassem said. "We have decided not to discuss these ceasefire proposals or our comments in the media. All I will say is that Israeli is trying to obtain through negotiations what it couldn't through war." The terrorist leader vowed to “continue our efforts on the ground, whether the negotiations succeed or not. “We are confronting a savage enemy, and we will remain on the ground, no matter the cost, as we will also increase the cost for the enemy. We are facing Israeli human monsters supported by American human monsters,” threatened Qassem. Disarm and retreat Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 Second Lebanon War, stipulated that Hezbollah must disarm and retreat north of the Litani River, but was never enforced. The Litani lies some 20 miles from the Israel-Lebanon border. Its enforcement, along with Israeli freedom of operation in Lebanon should Hezbollah violate the terms of a ceasefire agreement, are the key sticking points in the current negotiations. Netanyahu emphasized during a speech in the Knesset plenum on Monday that Israel will not allow Hezbollah to “return to the state it was in on Oct. 6, 2023. “We will be required, in order to ensure our security in the north, to systematically carry out operations—not only against Hezbollah’s attacks, which could come. Even if there is a ceasefire, nobody can guarantee it will hold. So it’s not only our reaction, a preventive reaction, a reaction in the wake of attack but also the capacity to prevent Hezbollah from strengthening,” he said. Hezbollah has launched some 16,000 rockets, missiles and drones from Lebanon at Israel since joining the war in support of Hamas on Oct. 8, 2023, a day after the Gaza-based terrorist group’s massacre in southern Israel. More than 60,000 residents of northern Israel remain internally displaced due to the ongoing rocket and drone attacks from Lebanon. Seventy-six people in northern Israel have been killed by Hezbollah cross-border rocket, missile and drone attacks since the start of the war, including 31 soldiers and six foreign citizens, according to the latest data provided by the Prime Minister’s Office, updated on Sunday. In addition, 729 people have been wounded, including 497 civilians and 232 soldiers. Of these, 29 civilians and 37 soldiers were severely injured; 63 civilians and 38 soldiers were moderately injured and 405 civilians and 157 soldiers were lightly injured. Hezbollah’s leadership has been left in tatters following a series of targeted killings by Israel, including that of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on Sept. 27. This was preceded by Israeli sabotage of Hezbollah communication devices that killed 39 people and wounded more than 3,400 members of the terrorist group. Israel has been waging a devastating aerial campaign against Hezbollah throughout Lebanon, including its stronghold of Dahieh south of Beirut. According to Israeli estimates, the terrorist group has lost most of its arsenal to the ongoing strikes. Then-Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in late October that Hezbollah had lost an estimated 80%-plus of its long-range rockets since the start of the war. Israel also continues to battle Hamas terrorists in Gaza. The terrorist group still holds 101 hostages in the Strip, 97 of whom were kidnapped on Oct. 7. Many of the captives are believed to be dead. Brazil summit Meanwhile, G20 leaders gathered in Rio de Janeiro for a summit put out a joint statement on Monday calling for “comprehensive” ceasefires in Gaza and Lebanon. The leaders of the world’s biggest economies called for U.S. proposals to end fighting in Gaza and free the hostages, and one for Lebanon “that enables citizens to return safely to their homes on both sides of the Blue Line.” The 13-point U.S. proposal presented to Lebanese officials on Nov. 14 includes a 60-day truce, during which Lebanon would redeploy its troops along the border. The proposal also calls for Moscow to prevent Hezbollah from resupplying itself via Syrian land routes. Hezbollah would retreat north of the Litani River, with the border area then being under control of the Lebanese Armed Forces, overseen by the United States and Britain. Israeli officials are emphasizing, however, that the Israel Defense Forces must retain freedom of operation in Lebanon to thwart attempts by Hezbollah to violate the agreement and rearm and reestablish itself. A senior Israeli diplomatic official told Israel Hayom on Saturday that the IDF will retain operational freedom to respond to any security threats from across the northern border, regardless of any diplomatic arrangements. However, a source close to Hezbollah told The Washington Post that the group’s “condition for progress remains clear: Israel must be prohibited from conducting operations within Lebanese territory.” Berri emphasized at the time that any ceasefire agreement must not include the ability for Israel to attack by land, sea or air, Channel 12 reported. “Otherwise, what’s the purpose of an agreement?” he remarked. Another sticking point is Lebanon’s objection to the United Kingdom and Germany monitoring the implementation of U.N. Resolution 1701. Beirut reportedly favors the United States and France. If the ceasefire efforts fail, there are plans in the works to expand ground operations in Lebanon, an Israeli military official told the Post. Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer discussed the proposal with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump during a visit to his Florida estate earlier this month, as well as with senior Biden administration officials in Washington. Dermer also traveled to Russia to discuss the ceasefire proposal. Tehran is telling its Lebanese terrorist proxy Hezbollah that it supports ending the war against Israel, The New York Times reported over the weekend. Ali Larijani, senior adviser to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, met with senior Lebanese officials in Beirut on Nov. 15 to discuss the matter. Two Iranians affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps told the Times that Larijani conveyed messages to Hezbollah from Khamenei that he supported the end of the war and that the regime would assist with rebuilding the terrorist group’s forces and recovering from the war.](https://jewishwebsite.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Gideon-Saar-1320x880-2-218x150.jpg "Sa’ar: Israel must be free to act against Hezbollah truce violations")
Par : B. Chernitsky*
Ces dernières années, le roi du Maroc ainsi que de hauts fonctionnaires marocains ont pris clairement position contre l’antisémitisme et souligné la nécessité d’enseigner les valeurs de tolérance et de coexistence afin de tirer la leçon de l’Holocauste. Des organisations pro-palestiniennes du pays ont condamné ce débat sur l’Holocauste, perçu comme l’expression de la normalisation avec Israël.
Si la plupart des pays arabes s’abstiennent d’aborder la question de l’antisémitisme et d’inclure le thème de l’Holocauste dans leurs programmes scolaires, le Maroc semble adopter une approche différente. Dans le cadre de conférences et de forums internationaux sur l’Holocauste et le dialogue interculturel, des responsables du régime marocain, sous la direction du roi Mohammed VI, ont évoqué la nécessité de condamner l’antisémitisme, d’inculquer les valeurs de tolérance et de coexistence religieuse à la société marocaine et de tirer les leçons de l’Holocauste, tout en soulignant le rôle central de l’éducation.
La position du roi du Maroc, inhabituelle dans le monde arabe, était déjà claire en 2009, lorsqu’il qualifiait l’Holocauste de « l’une des catastrophes les plus douloureuses de l’histoire de l’humanité ». A la même époque, le président iranien Mahmoud Ahmadinejad qualifiait pour sa part l’Holocauste d’ « invention occidentale » [1], tandis que l’antisémitisme et le négationnisme sévissaient dans de nombreuses égions du monde arabe et musulman.
Les déclarations du roi ont été lues en son nom par le ministre marocain des Affaires religieuses lors de la cérémonie de lancement du Projet Aladdin, une ONG consacrée au rapprochement interculturel, et notamment des juifs et des musulmans. Le roi a déclaré : « Mon approche et celle de mon peuple face à la catastrophe de l’Holocauste sont très éloignées des approches qui semblent souffrir d’une sorte d’amnésie [en référence au négationnisme]. Notre approche entend étudier en profondeur l’une des blessures gravées dans notre mémoire collective, et que nous avons travaillé à définir comme l’une des catastrophes les plus douloureuses de l’histoire de l’humanité » [2].
Dans un autre discours, lu par le Premier ministre du Maroc en septembre 2018, le roi déclarait que « l’antisémitisme est l’antithèse de la liberté d’expression [car] il implique la négation de l’autre » et a appelé à enseigner l’histoire, y compris ses « heures les plus sombres », en référence à l’Holocauste [3].
Se référant plus explicitement à la question de l’enseignement de l’Holocauste à l’école, dans le cadre de l’inculcation des valeurs de tolérance et de coexistence, le ministre de l’Education Saïd Amzazi a déclaré, lors d’une conférence tenue à Marrakech en 2018, que le Maroc envisageait « d’enseigner la leçon des plus grandes tragédies de l’histoire, dont l’Holocauste, composante importante d’un enseignement de qualité » [4].
Il semble que des activités éducatives relatives à l’antisémitisme et à l’Holocauste soient effectivement menées au Maroc, bien qu’à une échelle limitée et principalement par des ONG, telles que l’Organisation Mimouna, fondée par le musulman marocain Elmehdi Boudra, qui s’intéresse à l’histoire des juifs du Maroc et au dialogue interculturel. En outre, ces dernières années, le Maroc a signé des accords avec des organisations internationales qui se consacrent à la commémoration de la Shoah en France et aux Etats-Unis. Ces accords incluent la coopération dans des projets éducatifs [5].
Notons que, dans ses déclarations, le roi du Maroc souligne que les juifs et les chrétiens résidant dans son royaume bénéficient de l’égalité des droits et de la liberté de culte. Lors de la visite du Pape François au Maroc en mars 2019, le roi avait déclaré qu’en sa qualité de monarque et de chef des fidèles, il s’engageait personnellement à assurer la sécurité et la liberté de culte des juifs et des chrétiens dans son pays. S’adressant aux participants à la conférence internationale sur le dialogue interconfessionnel et interculturel de septembre 2018 à Fès, dans un message lu par le ministre marocain de la Justice et des Libertés, Moustafa Ramid, le roi avait mentionné le « modèle marocain unique » et une « coexistence bien enracinée, en particulier entre musulmans et juifs » [7].
Récemment, en janvier 2020, le roi a visité la nouvelle Maison du patrimoine juif marocain dans la ville d’Essaouira. La Maison du patrimoine juif marocain, une initiative du conseiller royal André Azoulay en partenariat avec le ministère de la culture du Maroc, est dédiée à la coexistence historique des communautés juives et musulmanes dans la ville. Située dans l’ancienne maison et synagogue de riches marchands juifs, elle contient des informations sur la communauté juive, ainsi que des photographies anciennes, des images d’archives, des enregistrements musicaux, des vêtements traditionnels et des objets de culte. Son second étage abritera un centre de recherche [8].
Des organisations pro-palestiniennes au Maroc ont condamné cette discussion sur l’antisémitisme et l’Holocauste, ainsi que la participation de responsables à des conférences traitant de ce sujet, les accusant d’être complices de la « falsification » de l’histoire. Elles se sont opposées à l’inclusion de l’Holocauste dans les programmes scolaires, demandant d’introduire à la place du contenu sur « les crimes de l’occupation sioniste ». En outre, ces organisations ont participé à une campagne visant à démolir un mémorial de l’Holocauste près de Marrakech, qui devait également comprendre un centre éducatif sur la Shoah.
Le rapport en anglais passe en revue les déclarations faites au cours des deux dernières années par le roi et des responsables marocains sur les thèmes de l’Holocauste, de l’antisémitisme et l’importance de leur enseignement, ainsi que les réactions d’organisations pro-palestiniennes à l’évocation de ces questions. Il reprend également des extraits d’un article publié en 2015 par le militant Elmehdi Boudra, fondateur de l’Organisation Mimouna, sur l’activité de son organisation et les efforts déployés pour enseigner l’histoire des juifs du Maroc et les répercussions de la Shoah au Maroc : Lire le rapport intégral en anglais
* B. Chernitsky est chargée de recherche à MEMRI.
Notes :
[1] Voir MEMRI en français, Ahmadinejad : L’idole du sionisme créée par l’Occident doit être brisée pour que l’humanité soit sauvée, 24 avril 2009.
[2] Pncl.gov.ma, 27 mars 2009.
[3] Maroc.ma, 26 septembre 2018.
[4] Projetaladin.org.
[5] Hespress.com, 14 novembre 2017 ; Ushmm.org, 16 mai 2018.
[6] Le roi a également souligné le rôle de l’éducation dans la lutte contre l’extrémisme (elaph.com, 30 mars 2019).
[7] Le roi a cité un article de la Constitution marocaine de 2011 qui stipule que l’unité nationale marocaine s’est construite sur le mélange de multiples composantes, et « s’est nourrie et enrichie de ses influences africaines, andalouses, hébraïques et méditerranéennes » (maroc.ma, 10 septembre 2018 ; constituteproject.org).
|8] Afp.com/ar, 19 janvier 2020.
