The Israeli press puts the King of Morocco under the microscope and reveals the secrets of his palaces and the struggle for power
In a lengthy investigative reportage, a Hebrew channel shed light on the secrets of the royal palace in Morocco, under the title “Secrets of the King of Morocco.” Sensitive information about the ruling family in Morocco The Israeli channel revealed aspects that remained taboos in the Moroccan and Arab media.
Secrets of the King of Morocco
According to the Hebrew channel report, there are many stories that can be talked about regarding the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI. His wealth, the story of his wife's strange disappearance, his disagreements with his sister, and the millions he owns.
The Israeli report revealed details of the king of Morocco's payment of two million euros to French journalists Eric Laurent and Catherine Garcia. For not publishing their book, “The Predator King,” which deals with the private life of the king.
And the Hebrew channel indicated the tyranny of the influence of the businessman who worked in the Jewish banking sector, Andre Azoulay, on the king.
And the channel indicated that the Moroccan businessman is the one behind Mohammed VI's learning of the "Gemara". That is, the “Babylonian Talmud” at the hands of Jewish rabbis in Morocco.
?Where did Lalla Salma go
And according to the report prepared by the journalists, Shimon Overgen and Alisa Shodev, that a few hours before he inherited the crown of his late father, in July 1999, rumors spread in Morocco that Muhammad had secretly married so as not to violate the legacy that required the marriage of the heir at the time of his rule.
Even the New York Times failed to confirm or deny the rumors, and he only officially married in 2002. The year in which the identity of his wife Salma Bennani, known since then as Princess Lalla Salma, was revealed.
Mohammed VI is the first king in Morocco to reveal his wife's identity before marriage, as a computer engineer and the daughter of a middle-class family, fifteen years his junior.
Princess Salma has become a public figure, appearing regularly alongside or instead of the king at public events (including hosting a concert at the beginning of the last decade that featured Jewish and Arab musicians). Those close to the royal court say she was full of life. It is the spirit behind the reform of the king's status in 2004.
About four years ago, the most famous woman in Morocco completely disappeared from the public eye.
After being absent from many ceremonies and receptions, rumors arose about mysterious illnesses attacking Lalla Salma. There have even been reports of her ouster, but the only danger seems to be her marriage: according to reports from Morocco late in the last decade, the princess left the country for a Greek villa.
About a year ago, palace officials unofficially admitted that Mohammed VI had divorced his wife. But whatever their official status, in recent weeks a back wind has blown between the king and princess. Behind the scenes, in this context, their son, Moulay Hassan III, wants to present a unified family to the people.
A source close to the royal family told us this week: “There is a lot of gossip that the King and Princess will move back in together, but no one really knows what is going on.”
“If that happens, it will be great news for the people of Morocco.” But perhaps less for the sister of the King of Morocco.
?Why did the princesses quarrel
About two years ago, in the spring of 2019, officials in Morocco started talking about a conflict between Lalla Salma and her sister-in-law, Princess Lalla Hasnaa.
At first it was said that Lalla Hasnaa felt that Princess Salma's popularity among the country's population threatened her status. People close to the royal court also claimed that the king's decision to appoint him as heir arrested Moulay Hassan III, Selma's son, further fueling the fire.
At the height of the family drama, in April 2019, social networks in Morocco were flooded with reports that the king's sister had stabbed and seriously injured his wife, and that Princess Salma was recovering in a hospital under heavy guard.
Princess Lalla Salma, who was the most famous woman in Morocco, disappeared from the public eye nearly four years ago. After being absent from a number of ceremonies and receptions, rumors arose of mysterious illnesses attacking the king's wife, and there are even reports of her deportation. According to the translation of the “Saudi Reality” website.
Regarding nonsense, a resident journalist tells us this week: “What happens in the royal family is a telenovela, but the Moroccan media is not ready to harm Mohammed VI and there is complete censorship of what happens in the palace. . .”
?What was in the book that was put on the shelf
In 2015, two French journalists were arrested in Paris after signing a document guaranteeing them a ransom in exchange for archiving a book about the king. Journalists Eric Loren and Kathryn Garcia were arrested on suspicion of extortion.
About a month ago, Lorraine had informed the Royal Family that the book was expected to be published. A previous book the two published, titled “The Predatory King,” revealed. (Free Translator) From 2012, the king's economic takeover of Morocco sparked a flurry of publications about his behavior, prompting him to work to limit press freedom in the country. They demanded that these companies stop publishing in the media that spread negative news about the royal house. At the same time, many media professionals fled the country after personal fines were imposed on journalists following reports that the royal family did not approve.
There is complete control over what is happening in the palace
"There is no problem with criticizing the government in Morocco," said a local journalist who was deported to Spain. “As long as you don’t personally say anything bad about the king, you can continue working.”
A resident journalist says: “What happens in the royal family is television, but the media in Morocco are not ready to harm Mohammed VI. There is complete oversight of what happens in the palace.”
It is forbidden to write about what is going on in the chambers or against the king. As far as is known, Lorraine and Garcia's second book dealt specifically with the private life of Mohammed VI - and this is where the versions split.
According to the royal family, the journalists blackmailed the king and were willing to shelve the book in exchange for a payment of two million euros; Journalists, for their part, claimed that the King approached them. However, they said they agreed to the deal.
“I came to meet with a lawyer in the name of the king,” Garcia said in the documentary “The King of Morocco: The Secret Government,” which was shown in France, about a year after the relationship exploded. “He came with envelopes full of money, this was the first batch. He asked where my bag was and poured money into it. There was 80,000 euros." To this day it is not clear what the journalists discovered, while the royal house continues to claim that there are no real findings in the book.
What about the King of Morocco and the Hajmarah - the Babylonian Talmud -??-
Mohammed VI, like his father, Hassan II, maintains close ties with the Jewish community in Morocco. His closest advisor is André Azoulay, a former senior banker who once worked for his father, but Mohammed VI is also associated with lesser-known members of society: in recent years he has often been seen in traditional robes in synagogues across the country studying hegmara - the Babylonian Talmud - with Rabbis.
About a year ago, he visited the opening of the Jewish Museum in Morocco, and this year - after developing diplomatic relations with Israel - he ordered the renovation of all the cemeteries of the righteous in the country and the inclusion of the history of the Jews of Morocco. in school curricula.
“Morocco has been a symbol of coexistence between Jews and Muslims for centuries,” says a Jew living in the country. “The king's father used to come to the synagogue to study with the rabbis, and now the son does. He attends the synagogue alone, does not seek honor, and is very familiar with the Hajmara and the Torah. Sometimes it surprises us.
King Mohammed VI's heart disease
The King also took refuge in the Jewish community, when about a year and a half ago he secretly met the exiled Rabbi Josiah Pinto. The rabbi wrote him a special amulet and promised him that it would save his life, and the king, for his part, made sure that the rabbi was appointed head of the patriarchal rabbinical courts in the country.
“He believes in Rabbi Pinto more than doctors,” said a man close to the king at the time.
Half a year ago, on one of his frequent visits to Paris — visits he was observed without security guards, walking the streets alone — the king was documented at a random meeting with Rabbi Yisrael Goldberg at the Chabad Tevilin ward. The two spoke at length about the Torah portion.
Scandal of sexual crimes and leaders of criminal organizations in Israel
Some eight years ago, the king's relations with the Jewish community were put to a practical test when two of the leaders of criminal organizations in Israel, Avi Rohan and Shalom Damrani, settled in Morocco.
Dozens of other criminals followed them, and later Rabbi Eliezer Berland, wanted in Israel for sex crimes, came to the country.
When the leaders of the Jewish community understood what was happening, they turned to the king's aides and the country's Ministry of Interior. A sweeping order was issued to expel the criminals and the rabbi.
No one has officially acknowledged this, but beneath the surface there is a channel of communication between the Mossad and other security forces in Israel to high-ranking officials in Morocco and the king himself. This is nothing new — Israeli intelligence officials and senior government officials have met, sometimes in disguise, with Hassan II — but these clandestine relationships seem to be heating up.
Sources in Morocco here revealed that about five years ago there was a real fear of ISIS fighters infiltrating the country and trying to overthrow the government.
The Israeli security that helped him stay behind the scenes,” says a man close to the intelligence community in Morocco. This is what led to the upgrading of relations between Israel and Morocco in the first place.
Will this good relationship also radiate on the personal axis between ?Mohammed VI and Netanyahu I
Not sure. Within a few weeks - says the Israeli report - direct flights will start between Israel and Morocco and liaison offices will open.
But the king is in no hurry to meet the prime minister. Netanyahu would like the king to visit Israel before the elections to cut an electoral voucher. Talks are taking place behind the scenes, but a lot depends on the king's health - and not just on her.
"The king and his father did not like the behavior of the Israeli governments towards the Palestinian people over the years," says a source close to what was happening in the palace.
This is reflected in the stormy demonstrations in the country and in the speeches of parliamentarians who have sought to close the borders to Israeli tourists. The people and the king respect the Jewish people, not the behavior of its leaders. baby? Work hard to earn the King's trust.”
?Why did Hassan II expel his son
Mohammed VI was 36 years old when he inherited the throne from his late father. This seems natural—the son always appeared alongside the father on official occasions—but it seems strange, for the regent never said a word. When he was young, he greeted Silence with understanding.
Embarrassing speculation later began to surface about his lack of interest in the monarchy. Even French journalists predicted a military coup as soon as he assumed power. They described him as a playboy involved in parties and trips around the world.
But perhaps something else stood between Hassan II and his son, because in 1990 the father stopped the flow of money to his son - then 27 years old. who has just completed his PhD in Public Law at the University of Nice in France.
In response, Mohammed set off on a trip around the world with his friends from the boys-only College Royal. For his part, the father sent his interior minister, Idris al-Basri, to follow up on the prince and make sure that he did not cause scandals.
The Basri Minister of the Interior, known more than anyone else as the iron fist of King Hassan II, was the first to be fired when Mohammed put on his father's shoes.!
Filthy rich
Mohammed VI is now considered one of the richest people in the world, with an estimated fortune of $8.5 billion. He receives a monthly salary of 40,000 euros and owns an investment portfolio with shares in international companies in the field of energy and infrastructure.
Much of the state's revenue flows directly to the royal house, and tens of thousands of workers maintain 20 palaces scattered across the state.
The king owns dozens of apartments and castles in Morocco and France, has a fleet of yachts, a collection of dozens of cars and a whole collection of Rolex watches worth $ 170 million.
About a year ago, 36 of them were stolen from the palace in Marrakech under the noses of the guards and a few days later, a suspect was arrested. He is a former palace cleaner who stole watches on behalf of a gang of jewel thieves. 25 people were arrested in the case, including 14 jewelers, thieves and real estate owners. The cleaner was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and the others involved were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 4 to 15 years.
The Moroccan economy collapsed this year due to the Corona epidemic, which did not prevent the king from buying a 1,000-square-meter mansion, worth 80 million euros, on the Avenue de Chanel in Paris.
?What is the king's medical condition
In February 2018, Mohammed VI had his first heart attack. He was hospitalized while in Paris and chose not to return home in the interest of recovery. Which angered many in Morocco.
In June of that year, he underwent surgery to treat an irregular heartbeat, and the media reported that the operation was a success. However, the King's health did not allow him to attend the funeral of his dear friend, former French President Jacques Chirac, who died three months later.
Last summer, there was another heart attack, if it was really routine. This time around, rumors have surfaced in Morocco about his death — and the country's national newspaper has already run an article profiling his son, Moulay Hassan, as one day heir to the throne.
?Will the transfer of the crown to the heir, Hassan III, be aborted
17-year-old Moulay Hassan, like his father when he was a child, used to accompany his father on official occasions. He plans to study at the Moroccan state flight school and already owns a $67 million private jet.
Recently it was reported that he had a rupture in his relationship with the king, after the prince refused to leave the palace of his mother, Princess Salma, and move in with his father. But he seems to have bigger problems in the family circle.
Websites outside Morocco published scathing testimonies last year — apparently leaked by royal stakeholders — about the regent's rude behavior toward security guards, drivers, palace staff and on vacations he went with his father.
To prevent a shock in the country, the king took care that his son was trained for the position. Where he will know the army and security units, and the scepter will pass to him when the day comes without shocks.
“Lalla Hasnaa”
But I'm not sure that will be enough. Along with a crooked eye on the part of his aunt, Lalla Hasnaa, young Moulay Hassan faced officials in the royal family who did not like the decision to designate him as heir to the throne.
His sister, Princess Lalla Khadija, is only 14 years old and in no way challenges her status because of her gender.
In this context, Morocco is not a progressive country. But the actions of another member of the family should be a matter of interest and perhaps also a source of concern for intelligence officials in the West and Israel. Since the king's medical condition has deteriorated, there have been reports from Morocco that his brother Rachid is angry at his decision. He plans to take over the country.
?Why is Israel blackmailing the King of Morocco
This prompted the Egyptian opposition journalist, Moataz Matar, to question the reason for the Israeli efforts to blackmail the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, by publishing a report highlighting his obscene wealth.
Matar shed light on the Israeli report, according to a video clip monitored by “Watan”, asking why Israel seeks to demonize and target the Moroccan monarch despite the normalization agreement.
?Is it intentional instigation
In the context, the Egyptian journalist said: The Hebrew report is controversial about Moroccan King Mohammed VI bin Al-Hassan. The Israelis are plotting against him, not providing answers, but asking questions.
Matar added, “The Israelis continue to poison the Moroccan king with honey. This report was published two weeks ago, and so far there is no Moroccan response to it.”
The Israeli report said that in 2015, two French journalists were arrested in Paris after signing a document guaranteeing them a ransom in exchange for archiving a book about the king.
Moroccan silence
In the context, Moataz Matar said: “Every day personally, I search for a response that heals the grief from the Royal Court or the Moroccan Foreign Ministry, but I did not find it. If those numbers and stories are false, how can you not lie to them?
Matar continued: “What if the report had been issued by an Algerian newspaper or an Arab channel, would you have turned a blind eye as you are doing now, or is our misery between us severe?”
Matar asked: “Why are they blackmailing him, and what does the occupation army want from the King of Morocco more than this? What do they want more than that?”
Source: websites