Pleins feux sur le rôle du Comité Al-Qods - 19/01/2024
MEDI1TV Afrique : Pleins feux sur le rôle du Comité Al-Qods - 19/01/2024
Transcript
00:00 [Music]
00:11 Good evening, in this episode of "Questions d'actu" we will stop with this new benevolent gesture
00:17 of the President of the Committee of the People in Favour of the Palestinian People.
00:21 His Majesty the King Mohammed VI gave these high instructions
00:25 to immediately dedicate additional scholarships to the benefit of Palestinian students
00:31 who study here in Moroccan universities,
00:34 and this in the framework of the scholarships granted by the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation.
00:39 This is a hundred additional scholarships,
00:42 which are added to the hundreds already distributed by the so-called Agency for the Benefit of Students.
00:47 The constant support of the sovereign to the Palestinian cause is accompanied by solidarity actions
00:52 with the Palestinian people.
00:55 In these difficult circumstances, and speaking of difficult circumstances,
00:58 note that this week the University of Al-Isra has become the last large public building in Gaza
01:04 to disappear from the map, destroyed by the Israeli forces, by their strikes.
01:10 It was the last one still standing.
01:13 Since the outbreak of the war against Gaza on the morning of October 7th,
01:18 nine out of ten schools in the Gaza Strip have suffered significant damage,
01:23 and by significant damage, that is, they have been completely razed,
01:26 or have suffered damage that will not allow a return to the students,
01:31 immediately or at least after the end of the hostilities of the Israeli army.
01:36 So, for tonight's debate, I welcome on the set
01:41 the Dean of the Faculty of Economic and Social Law Sciences of Casablanca,
01:45 Prof. Abdelatef Komat, good evening. - Good evening.
01:48 Welcome on this set. - Thank you.
01:50 And with us here is the Professor of International Relations at the University of Mohamed V of Rabat,
01:54 Prof. Zakaria Abou-Daha. Good evening, Prof. Abdel.
01:56 Good evening, Mrs. Khadija. - Welcome.
01:59 And with us here is the political scientist and law professor at the same university,
02:03 so at the University of Mohamed V of Rabat, Prof. Mustafa As-Hemi.
02:06 Good evening, Prof. As-Hemi. - Good evening.
02:09 So, gentlemen, the Al-Quds Committee, these Palestinian students,
02:15 this hundred Palestinian students who will benefit from the study grant,
02:21 Prof. Komat, who are these students,
02:25 first of all, who are already pursuing their studies in Morocco?
02:31 In fact, Morocco has the reputation of being a support
02:36 for international students in Africa, especially in Palestine,
02:41 because we are among the countries that provide scholarships,
02:47 especially for African students, but also for Palestinians.
02:51 This is a tradition, it is a culture, but there is, of course,
02:54 a particular attention to Palestinian students.
02:57 Today, we have on average more than 450 scholarships
03:01 that are taken care of by the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation.
03:06 And then, of course, there is support in terms of housing, etc.
03:09 So, this is a tradition, it is a culture,
03:12 under the benevolence of His Majesty, always with regard to Palestinian students.
03:17 So, of course, there is this gesture that occurs in particular circumstances
03:21 and which is essentially intended for students who are of Gaza origin.
03:29 Why? Because, of course, the Gaza region is in a particular situation,
03:36 we know the difficulties, and usually, of course, beyond these scholarships,
03:41 there is family support that is provided to young students,
03:46 who today, as you said, all the infrastructure,
03:49 all economic activity has been almost stopped,
03:52 so, of course, there is no longer a means for families to support their children.
03:56 And that is why, of course, this gesture comes,
04:00 essentially to support young Palestinians who are of this region's origin,
04:08 which is a sinister region, which is a war-torn region.
04:11 And, of course, all this goes back to the tradition established by His Majesty since always.
04:16 We know a little bit of the history of the Presidency of the Al-Quds Committee
04:20 since the 10th, in fact, the 2nd conference of the OCI.
04:25 And then, of course, the taking charge of this Presidency by His Majesty Mohammed VI since his enthronement.
04:32 And since, of course, there has been a whole program that has spread over the last 25 years
04:37 with activities that of course affect the infrastructure, education, health,
04:42 but also support, I would say, in terms of international organizations.
04:47 His Majesty also advocated that UNESCO could provide its support from 2014,
04:52 especially in the preservation of cultural identity, architectural heritage.
04:57 So there is a whole work that is being done.
04:59 Of course, there is the dimension, I would say, of material support.
05:03 There is the dimension, of course, of human support,
05:06 essentially education, health and housing.
05:09 And of course, there is everything that is lobbying,
05:12 lobbying with international organizations so that there is a awareness,
05:16 a little bit of the risk that we are running today,
05:19 of this city, which is a universal city, which is a holy city.
05:22 And of course, it is about preserving its identity.
05:25 That is the object of this committee that His Majesty presides over.
05:29 And of course, in the madness of which, His Majesty made sure that,
05:33 precisely, Beit-el-Malkotz, which was created in 1998, was able to continue.
05:38 Moreover, this year we celebrated the 25th anniversary of Beit-el-Malkotz
05:42 and which, in fact, generated several activities, health, education,
05:48 and then also, it went beyond that.
05:51 For example, we can cite the economic aspect.
05:54 There is support to preserve small and medium-sized businesses
05:57 that have suffered during COVID.
05:59 So there is a whole work that has been done.
06:01 But of course, the circumstances today place young people today
06:06 so that there is this support, especially in terms of the stock market.
06:09 It should be remembered that beyond, beyond this stock market aspect,
06:12 there have been other initiatives.
06:14 For example, I can cite, at the level of Moroccan universities,
06:18 we have received instructions to enroll students who, I would say,
06:25 with a certain flexibility, Palestinian students,
06:30 especially those who are diplomated from Morocco.
06:33 You know that the Palestinian students who have a diploma in Morocco,
06:37 they are governed by the same admission conditions
06:40 as the Moroccans in doctoral and master's programs,
06:43 while this year there was an exception to accept them,
06:47 by dismissing them from these competitions.
06:50 Why? Because they have trouble returning to their homes.
06:54 And so today, virtually all Moroccan universities have been involved.
06:58 We have accepted dozens of young Palestinians
07:01 so that they can continue their studies in Moroccan universities.
07:05 So you mentioned this committee of Al-Quds.
07:09 Professor Abou-Daha, perhaps a little reminder of history.
07:12 Indeed, the sovereign is engaged as president of this committee Al-Quds.
07:18 Since its intronization, you have recalled it, Professor Komat.
07:22 But it started long before, already with Feu, His Majesty Hassan II,
07:26 and the work that has been accomplished, as a basis, isn't it?
07:31 And the important element is the continuity of the work accomplished
07:38 and its adaptation to the context.
07:41 So perhaps a little retrospective from the creation of this committee Al-Quds in 1975.
07:47 Absolutely. There are two things, Madam Khadija, in this very particular trajectory,
07:53 which first, we must recall the previous context.
07:57 His Majesty Feu, King Hassan II, may God have mercy on him,
08:00 God and his soul in his holy mercy,
08:02 was one of the precursors of the OCI.
08:04 At the time, we were talking about the Islamic Conference,
08:06 the organization of the Islamic Conference.
08:08 Subsequently, of course, the sacrilege that was promoted by Israel at the time
08:13 at the level of Al-Aqsa Mosque, the esplanade of mosques.
08:17 That on the one hand, and so there was a meeting,
08:19 provoked by the way, a ministerial conference in Fez,
08:22 which gave rise to the OCI, the Organization of the Islamic Conference,
08:27 which later became the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation to expand the spectrum.
08:31 And so, in 1975, there was the creation of a committee
08:35 to look at very particular issues,
08:38 and in particular at Al-Quds Sharif, Jerusalem, in a monotheistic way, if you will,
08:43 since it is a holy city for the three monotheistic religions.
08:47 And as King Hassan II and his worthy successor, His Majesty King Muhammad,
08:53 are a bit of depositors of a certain legitimacy,
08:56 not only historical, but also religious,
08:59 and it is a symbolic capital,
09:01 which gave it this status from 1975 and beyond, until 1999.
09:06 And since that date, it must be remembered first for dear viewers,
09:09 that it is a committee made up of several participants,
09:12 but it is chaired by Morocco.
09:13 So we find many countries that are part of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation.
09:19 And moreover, its objective, I think it is triple, it is conservation,
09:24 in fact, it is a main objective, but declined in three actions.
09:28 Preservation of the religious character of the holy city,
09:31 and at the same time the cultural character and the historical value of Al-Quds Sharif.
09:37 So there are punctual actions, beyond the symbolic.
09:40 Sometimes it is about making plea to international organizations,
09:44 and it is above all about giving effect to the resolutions that are taken,
09:48 not only by the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation,
09:51 but in other forums, I can also mention the Arab League.
09:54 So we see that there is a certain responsibility,
09:56 that there is a certain burden, there is a certain value, a certain recognition.
10:00 And since that date, if we do a little assessment,
10:02 we will see that there has been a lot of impractical action, as they say.
10:06 And I think the last round, among others, I can remember in 2022,
10:09 there was the role of His Majesty to reopen the passage that leads Palestine,
10:14 the Palestinians, to Jordan.
10:16 And so, we know very well that the Al-Quds Committee is not only the preservation
10:21 of the religious, historical, symbolic character of Al-Quds Sharif,
10:25 but also to carry out ground operations to facilitate the daily life of Palestinians.
10:30 And this central role, Professor Sahimi, of the President of this committee,
10:36 in the person of His Majesty the King, Mohamed VI.
10:39 So, it is obviously an important role, which is distinguished,
10:44 as my colleagues have said, in terms of support for a social policy of formation.
10:51 Yes, it is not a position, it is not a discourse.
10:56 At this point, Morocco, under the direction of His Majesty, has a policy.
11:02 A policy attested, for example, by the fact that we have in Morocco
11:06 more than 10,000 African students, of whom 80%, 8,000 are scholarships.
11:15 We must add the 450 Palestinian students, plus the hundred.
11:21 This means, first of all, a first level of analysis,
11:24 that there is, at the level of Morocco and the sovereign,
11:27 a policy of promotion of human resources and investment in human capital.
11:33 This is important, why? Because they are the elites of tomorrow,
11:38 as well in Africa, moreover, as in Palestine.
11:41 So, the conditions offered to the Palestinian students are quite interesting and attractive.
11:47 They take into account, beyond the paperwork, if I may say so,
11:52 and the required files, the fact that we must help.
11:55 We must help this youth, who cannot do his studies
11:59 in the conditions that Raza knows today, etc.
12:04 So, we must offer him an additional framework, an additional opportunity
12:08 to come and be in the Moroccan universities.
12:12 The second level of analysis, this is your question, is the El-Rouch problem.
12:18 Why is it the king of Morocco who presides over the El-Rouch committee?
12:24 For several reasons. First, he is a religious leader, Amir El-Mouminine.
12:31 No Arab state leader is Amir El-Mouminine.
12:35 This is important, it is a particular parameter,
12:38 and so it gives a religious status, a status of someone who, beyond Morocco,
12:44 defends the values of the Ummah.
12:47 And the question of Jerusalem, of El-Rouch, is a big issue that is raised at the Ummah,
12:53 and at the Islamic Conference.
12:55 The second element, it seems to me, is the credibility of Morocco on the international scene.
13:03 It was the time when the king of Feu, Samas Hassan II,
13:08 obviously with the role he played, it was said by my colleague,
13:13 the first Islamic conference took place in Casablanca in '69.
13:17 And yes, so he didn't know what to do after the mosque fire, you know, etc.
13:23 So it was the sovereign who took his pilgrim's stick, if I may say so,
13:27 and who had the capacity to federate a divided Muslim community.
13:32 In 1969, the Muslim world was divided, and it continues, by the way,
13:36 but finally, a federating profile was needed, that was the case of His Majesty Hassan II.
13:42 It is also the case of His Majesty Mohammed VI, who took up this case,
13:46 who inherited this status of the President of the Committee of the Cross,
13:51 but he inherited it on the basis of a will, a charge sheet,
13:55 and a full activation of the mission entrusted to him,
13:59 which he had been given by the regretted sovereign,
14:02 but also reaffirmed by the community of Muslim countries.
14:07 And in this regard, it must be said that the positions of the sovereign are extremely firm.
14:12 There are all the interventions, the seizings, the messages of the UN Secretary-General
14:19 to the members of the Security Council, and each time there is a royal reactivity,
14:23 when there are acts of condemnation by the Palestinian authorities,
14:27 notably provocations of the Spanish.
14:30 So now we are there, we are there, that is to say that there is this big file.
14:38 You know, the question of al-Quds, if you allow me to put it in a few words,
14:42 is a concentrate of the Palestinian question and the big problems of the Middle East.
14:48 I will remind you that the city of Jerusalem does not have a statue.
14:54 You are looking for it? We have looked for it. Why?
14:58 Because in the act of creation, which was a resolution of the UN General Assembly in 1947,
15:07 it was the 181st resolution of the UN General Assembly,
15:12 what was planned for Jerusalem? An international statue.
15:17 And it is precisely on this that it always works.
15:20 So there was a council of guardians for three years, at the time it was called a council of guardians,
15:24 which had to work, think about the possible options of an international statue.
15:28 We did not get there. We are in a very particular situation, which is this one.
15:35 Al-Quds does not have a statue. It is a statue that is shared administratively,
15:41 at least for decades, we will get to 1980,
15:46 between the Israeli administration and the Jordanian administration at the time.
15:51 And then there was another evolution, an evolution, that is to say that in 1988,
15:56 1980 more precisely, you know that the Israeli government decided to make Jerusalem
16:03 the eternal capital of the State of Israel. It is important.
16:07 In 1988, the OLP also, eight years later, decided, with its creation,
16:14 to make it the capital of Palestine. And then it continued.
16:20 So there were resolutions, it must be said, resolutions of the Security Councils on this plan.
16:26 The resolution 476 and 478 in particular, which condemned the annexation of Jerusalem
16:35 by the Israeli authorities. There were also all the acts, it must be said,
16:42 of the Trump administration, since in 2017 he made it the seat of the diplomatic representation
16:50 of his country, the United States, in Israel. For the time being, there are only four other countries
16:56 that followed, for your information, it is Papua New Guinea, it is Guatemala, Honduras and Kosovo.
17:03 But what must be said is this, the vast majority of the international community
17:10 did not follow this movement, and so there are only these five countries,
17:15 four plus the United States, that make Jerusalem the seat of the diplomatic representation.
17:21 So we are in it today. It is a situation that is a total blockade,
17:25 which has not been settled, neither in the Oslo Accords, nor in the Camp David Accords,
17:30 nor in the Tabas Accords. It has not been settled. Why? Because there is the Israeli refusal,
17:37 it must be said, to accept that there is legitimacy for the proclamation of Jerusalem
17:44 as the capital of the Palestinian state. The drama is there. You know, we have to move on
17:50 to the news, perhaps. What is the situation today?
17:52 You ask the questions in my place, but I beg you, you can answer them too.
17:56 Thank you, you are very kind.
17:57 I thank you, Siss Hemi.
17:59 What is the situation? It is a total drama. It is the erasure of a people.
18:05 What we live, what we follow daily, there are 26,500 dead, there are 65,000 injured,
18:12 of which 70% are women and children. It is something deadly, dramatic.
18:19 It is a tragedy, in the daily life that we live, that the Palestinians are suffering.
18:24 The Palestinians have the choice on paper between three possibilities.
18:29 One, to leave. But leave where? Because it is closed. The passage of the woman is closed.
18:35 You know, closed, there are only a few elements that pass through medical reasons.
18:39 Two, the second option is to die on the spot. This is what is happening.
18:43 There are at least hundreds of deaths every day, you know.
18:47 The third option is to be enslaved. To be enslaved, that is to say, to suffer the Israeli yoke,
18:55 of this Israeli army, of the Israeli authorities.
18:58 And we must count on this, the dignity and the patriotism of the Palestinians.
19:04 That is to say, it is a tragic ordeal that the Palestinian people are undergoing,
19:09 but it is a tragic ordeal that will allow the nationalists and the Palestinian patriotism
19:15 to bounce back and finally be devoted at some point.
19:20 It will come, you know, things cannot remain in the state.
19:24 We will have to find a solution.
19:27 I note to finish this, that the political horizon that President Biden has called for
19:35 does not seem to be clear, even though in the Chancellery there are tracks,
19:40 you know, that work on an option, such and such option, etc.
19:44 But the head of state, the head of the Israeli government,
19:47 declared yesterday again to Benjamin Netanyahu that he would never accept the solution of the two states.
19:53 On this level, Morocco has a very firm position,
19:56 which has been recalled by our diplomacy in front of the various bodies.
20:00 And this position of Morocco is constant,
20:04 especially on this status, Professor Abou Daha, you are the international relations expert,
20:09 on this status of the holy city of Al-Quds.
20:12 Yes, of course. Not only does it apply to the fact that it is His Majesty who presides over the Al-Quds Committee,
20:17 but first of all, it is part of the Arab-Muslim consensus, I would say in extenso,
20:22 in the sense that we are part of the Arab League and therefore there is already unanimity,
20:28 without reserve, in relation to this issue, and also at the level of the organization of Islamic cooperation.
20:34 I would just like to add, to reply a little to what Mustafa was saying,
20:37 speaking of the status of Al-Quds in the LFC, we also look at international human rights.
20:42 The eastern part is a part that is occupied, and therefore Israel also has obligations in relation to the DIH,
20:48 the International Human Rights Act, in particular the four Geneva Conventions of 1949,
20:52 in particular the fourth convention and in particular the treatment of civilians.
20:55 And unfortunately, when we evaluate a little the behavior of the Israeli authorities since 1967 until today,
21:02 in relation to the situation in the occupied territories, we see that Israel does not respect its commitments
21:08 and that this country had ratified, so it signed and ratified the Geneva Conventions.
21:14 So it is liable, and it is not nothing if today there is a contention at the level of the International Court of Justice,
21:19 and I remember that there is a Moroccan, Sebnouna, who is one of the 15 judges.
21:23 And so it is a clear consistency, and I would tell you an important thing,
21:27 it reminds me of what His Majesty said when he considered that the Palestinian question is at the same level
21:32 as the territorial integrity of Morocco.
21:34 At the same level as His Majesty considered the children victims of the earthquake of the last house,
21:41 the pupils of the nation, he also considers the Palestinians as the pupils of the nation.
21:46 You see, "ada'at ma'ulawi", as we say in Arabic, it is a benevolence.
21:50 It is an action, beyond the speeches, beyond the speeches that are often sterile,
21:56 they bear fruit, they are concrete actions, and it resembles, I would like to say,
22:04 to this approach that distinguishes this kingdom under His Majesty the King Mohammed VI,
22:11 which really puts the human at the center of the action, of the action, be it of Moroccan diplomacy,
22:18 through this Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation,
22:21 be it at the highest level of the state, or even in relation to the governmental action.
22:26 Professor Komat, this question, that is, these students, they are, I want to say,
22:34 doubly impacted, they are far from their…
22:43 Is there a special treatment?
22:45 You mentioned earlier special treatments, in particular to reach,
22:49 or to aspire to follow a master's or a doctorate.
22:53 Are there other special treatments for these young Palestinians?
22:58 In addition to the hundreds of scholarships, I recall,
23:00 which are allotted to these young students,
23:05 and students, I imagine there are students too, in these groups of students.
23:09 Of course, there are, of course.
23:11 In fact, as you said earlier, Morocco, its monarchy, its people,
23:18 and also its universities, they deal with the issue with pragmatism and efficiency.
23:25 Why? Because beyond the discourse, it is about action.
23:29 We mentioned His Majesty's role as President of the Al-Quds Committee,
23:33 the fact that we created precisely this Beit el-Malqot,
23:37 which today has more than 200 projects with funding of millions of dollars.
23:43 And so, of course, it is Morocco that finances the bulk of the activities of Beit el-Malqot.
23:48 This is concrete.
23:50 It is concrete also through the support of the Moroccan people.
23:53 Just look today, moreover, at the tour of pro-Palestinian demonstrations
23:58 that took place in Morocco.
23:59 It went around the world because these are demonstrations that mobilize,
24:04 I would say, at a global level, the largest number of people.
24:07 And that is also concrete.
24:09 And of course, your question is about the university.
24:13 Of course, there is a treatment.
24:15 I mean, maybe the treatment of the university, you are right to say,
24:18 also of their fellow students and their fellow students,
24:22 of the other students too, who certainly have this empathy
24:28 also towards these students who are today in the groups.
24:33 Your Majesty, just to go into the detail of this additional support,
24:38 who is it about?
24:40 It is actually because we have the wave of Palestinian students
24:43 who normally come, who have their scholarships, etc.,
24:47 who come through international cooperation.
24:50 But we also have other students in the circuit,
24:54 who apply, in particular, for licenses in Morocco.
24:57 If they get their license in Morocco,
24:59 they pass the access contests with the Moroccans.
25:03 Some are admitted, some are not admitted.
25:05 So, what is the gesture of His Majesty?
25:08 It is those who are not admitted, who are more tolerant,
25:12 who are allowed, who are given additional places,
25:15 because in the end, they are taken hostage.
25:18 Why hostage?
25:19 Because, in fact, they are in Morocco,
25:21 they do not have anything to survive with,
25:24 they are not enrolled in universities,
25:27 they cannot return home because the Gaza Strip is at war,
25:31 is in difficulty.
25:32 So, it is a human question,
25:34 essentially, social and human,
25:36 but it also concerns youth.
25:38 It is a youth today, it is hundreds of Palestinians
25:41 who are blocked around the world.
25:44 So, of course, there is this noble act that comes back to His Majesty.
25:49 So, as far as we are concerned, on an operational level,
25:52 we are also flexible on a certain number of measures.
25:56 For example, we have students who have submitted their application
26:01 for a doctorate.
26:02 It must also be said that Morocco trains a lot at a higher level,
26:07 master, doctorate.
26:08 We have a lot of Palestinian doctors who are active today
26:12 in the judicial system, in the government-run associative system, etc.,
26:16 who are from universities, like this one,
26:19 and also, it is true, in Africa.
26:22 - You are the central role of this Moroccan International Cooperation Agency,
26:26 with which you work, I imagine, in close collaboration.
26:32 - So, the facilities that we provide them with,
26:36 for example, we have candidates who are accepted on file,
26:41 they have to show up for interviews.
26:43 And of course, it is part of the procedure.
26:46 We accept that these interviews can be done remotely, for example,
26:50 because they have trouble moving around.
26:53 You see, there is sometimes a certain treatment
26:56 at the level of access to documents.
26:58 We can be more flexible, to say that, of course, there is compassion.
27:04 There is, I would say today, in general,
27:07 the Moroccan people, in general, and of course,
27:10 the university world, in a particular way,
27:12 is very sensitive to the situation in which these students are.
27:15 And so, we try to provide them with the maximum support, of course,
27:19 with respect for the rules,
27:22 but where it is possible, precisely, to be flexible,
27:25 we facilitate things for them.
27:27 And of course, as I said, there is solidarity,
27:29 especially with the Palestinians who are already settled in Morocco.
27:32 Of course, there is the international city, which is Taraba,
27:35 which welcomes Palestinian students.
27:37 It also has, of course, there is a certain treatment
27:41 that is particular to welcome Palestinian students.
27:44 I believe that everyone, in relation to his responsibilities,
27:48 in relation to his level of intervention, should,
27:51 I believe it is a responsibility,
27:53 today, the Moroccan, in general, is known
27:56 for the sensitivity to central questions,
27:59 whether national or international.
28:01 And as you said, the question of the Palestinian
28:03 is considered by all Moroccans, at their head, Your Majesty,
28:06 as one of the priority questions for our country.
28:09 And so, of course, this is declining at the university level,
28:12 as it is declining at the level of the entire Moroccan society.
28:15 Exactly. So, you mentioned earlier the Betmal Quds agency.
28:19 We will recall that it was founded in 1998.
28:23 90% of the funds are unblocked by the Kingdom of Morocco.
28:28 3 million dollars are dedicated to the social profit program of the Martesi,
28:32 so the inhabitants of this holy city of Al-Quds.
28:36 How are the projects targeted to finance, precisely, gentlemen?
28:40 Yes, Professor Sehemi.
28:42 In this regard, I would like to highlight several things.
28:46 Since its creation, a quarter of a century ago,
28:51 a budget of 65 million dollars has been reached.
28:56 The annual budget is in a range of between 3 and 5 million dollars.
29:03 I would like to highlight the modesty of this budget.
29:08 There are about 20 Arab countries. What is their budget?
29:13 So, what I am being called upon to do is to make a distinction
29:17 between the official support of the Arab countries to the Palestinian cause
29:22 and the fact that, concretely, not much has been done.
29:27 Take note.
29:29 Yes, especially when we realize that 90% comes from Morocco.
29:32 Yes, because Morocco is the seat of this institution, the social institutions, etc.
29:39 But I still note the few contests of the twenty Arab countries.
29:44 This is a big problem.
29:47 A second problem, too.
29:49 It is not the most reluctant and the most activist,
29:54 in terms of the official discourse on the support of the Palestinian cause,
29:59 who are the first to come and help.
30:02 All this must be said.
30:04 Our viewers must know this, but they know, of course,
30:08 that there is a gap that must be raised.
30:12 Especially since, if you allow me, there is an observatory,
30:17 the Arribat Observatory, which alerts about the degradation of the state of this holy city, Al-Quds.
30:24 Of course.
30:25 You know that, on this point, you are right,
30:28 Morocco organized, precisely in the context of the activities of this agency,
30:33 a meeting, a conference, on the economic model of Jerusalem.
30:39 Yes, it was held in 2022.
30:42 So, there is a reflection that must be carried out to know what we are doing.
30:48 We are not going to leave people in this situation,
30:51 so, of dependence, of submission to repression, etc.
30:56 We must think beyond, beyond management.
30:59 This was before, of course, what is happening due to the Palestinians,
31:04 that is, to think of a development model for what is,
31:08 in particular, Jerusalem and Jerusalem-Al-Quds.
31:10 Another point I would like to add,
31:12 Moroccan aid is not limited simply to the particular support
31:17 that is granted to students.
31:19 It also interests students, young people in vocational training centres.
31:24 Yes, we don't talk about it much.
31:27 I would like to point out that in February, last February, February 2023,
31:32 our Minister of Labour signed a protocol of agreement with his Palestinian colleague,
31:40 but it was signed by hand, on what?
31:41 On vocational training, exchanges, etc.
31:44 So, the exchange of visits, experiences, etc.
31:48 The possibility for young Palestinians to join Moroccan centres and professional institutions,
31:54 where we have a high-level, high-performance system.
32:01 I think it is important to show that this covers the entire range,
32:06 all sectors of youth, the university sector, of course,
32:10 the doctoral students, the master's and doctoral students,
32:12 but also the vocational training centres.
32:15 Finally, perhaps this last point, what do we do now?
32:19 What do we do in this situation?
32:21 The international community will have to mobilize to find a settlement process.
32:28 And this, perhaps, is an opportunity that we will bounce back on in a moment, if you like.
32:34 Yes, but anyway, I will perhaps also make Abu Dhabi react
32:39 to this question of the Beit Mal Quds Agency,
32:43 on the role of Morocco in the preservation of this holy city,
32:49 but also of its identity.
32:52 Absolutely. So, it is an agency that was created, it was said, in 1998.
32:57 And, in fact, it is a budget that is, let's say, composite,
33:02 because in terms of financial engineering and financial editing,
33:06 there are quite a few sections, there are donations, there are loans,
33:09 there are many formulas, but we see, and this is surprising,
33:12 I confirm what Simstafa said, it is a problem, a paradox.
33:16 We see that it is an agency that is normally open to all countries,
33:20 members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation,
33:23 while we see that Morocco is practically the largest provider or contributor
33:29 in relation to the projects that have declined since, let's say, 1998 and beyond.
33:33 Obviously, it concerns many sectors, educational, health, hospital.
33:38 But, in terms of infrastructure, let us also remember that the agency
33:42 welcomes holiday colonies, the Mardissines, the inhabitants of Al-Quds,
33:46 the little children, etc., and they are integrated into a happy socialization problem.
33:51 They are there in the summer, etc., with their, let's say, Moroccan and Moroccan colleagues.
33:58 It is happiness. It is happiness.
34:00 To see these camps of young Palestinians is happiness.
34:03 And when they sing national anthem, it is a pleasure.
34:05 And the agency, it must be said, has a fairly strict governance model,
34:10 because it is there, in Rabat, obviously, the main seat.
34:13 It had created, I think it was in 2007, a cultural center, precisely.
34:18 And it was him who was dedicated, because even Mrs. Khadija
34:21 has acquisition problems in the background.
34:23 I was looking a little bit here and there, and besides,
34:25 he is led by someone who we know a lot, it is Sharqawi.
34:30 And there is also a kind of continuum to, how would I say, Al-Quds, Sharif,
34:37 that is to say, the representation of the agency, etc.,
34:41 led by a Palestinian, a young man who knows the field a lot.
34:45 And consequently, we can say today, given the number of projects carried out,
34:50 governance models that are not models that are hollow,
34:55 but it is an assessment that is very, very acute,
34:58 because there is also the question of redevelopment,
35:00 so there are issues that must be justified.
35:02 And I could even tell you, I listened to Sharqawi,
35:05 expressing himself on the actions of His Majesty,
35:08 that beyond traditional rubrics, there are also, if you will,
35:11 a little extraordinary donations that are carried out to feed a number of projects.
35:15 The last point, it is important, it is Sami, he knows, it is Komet,
35:18 is that we also have Palestinian cooperators,
35:21 and who have a very particular treatment, as we say in law, "sui generis".
35:25 They are sometimes alive, we know them, even at our faculty,
35:29 and they are very, it is on the level of emoluments, as being Moroccans.
35:33 And you see, already, not only in relation to students,
35:37 that we, I am also an actor in relation to that,
35:39 that we have attended a lot of recruitment of Palestinians,
35:43 we reserve them, it is true, a rather particular treatment,
35:45 but it must also be said that this treatment is extended to others,
35:48 like the Mauritanians, it must be remembered.
35:50 We also welcomed students from Tunisia, Algeria,
35:56 - The Comoros. - The Comoros, etc.
35:59 There are even Syrians, etc.
36:01 But the geopolitical context has a little short-circuited the flows.
36:04 But I could say that the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation
36:08 was, in my opinion, a very intelligent idea.
36:10 - Which dates, it is there. - 1986.
36:13 - Exactly, it dates from 1986, the creation of this agency,
36:17 with a reorientation, not total, but in addition to its first role,
36:26 when it was created, it is that of South-South cooperation,
36:30 through the action of the sovereign.
36:33 And so its general director is present,
36:35 we will meet with Seyboreta on the occasion of the holding, among others,
36:38 of the movement of the non-aligned capital of Uganda.
36:41 He is also present, he will be present in the framework of the G77 plus China, etc.
36:46 And so today, it has extended the spectrum a little, as we say.
36:49 The same year, there was the creation of the Institute of African Studies.
36:52 We see that Morocco has still mounted what is called an institutional design
36:55 that allows it to act in circles of action, but always, you said it earlier,
37:00 the royal paradigm is a paradigm focused on the social, it is societal, it is human,
37:05 it is human security, and so there is no political agenda.
37:08 In the royal actions, when we give scholarships to Palestinians,
37:12 there is no behind that.
37:14 And indeed, we can call on the others, who are in the verbal, the speaking, etc.
37:21 Unfortunately, they do not join the useful and the pleasant, they remain a little confined.
37:24 They do not join the action, the discourse, above all.
37:26 And the losers are the Palestinians, unfortunately.
37:28 Professor Komat, maybe something to add in this regard.
37:31 No, in relation to the fact...
37:32 To go back a little, perhaps, also in the role of this kind of agency,
37:37 like the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation.
37:40 We are also talking about university diplomacy today.
37:45 Yes, absolutely.
37:46 Indeed, of course.
37:47 What is called parallel diplomacy.
37:50 Everyone should play their role, because there is not only official diplomacy,
37:55 there is parliamentary diplomacy, there is of course also university diplomacy.
38:00 And what we do, precisely, by this kind of act, is university diplomacy.
38:04 It is our role, and of course, I would say, the MCI is essential in terms of university cooperation.
38:13 Today, everything goes through the MCI.
38:15 It is a procedure that is well built.
38:17 There is cooperation between the Ministry of Higher Education and the MCI, precisely, to deal with the cases.
38:23 And of course, there are considerations, especially fraternity with certain countries.
38:28 Sometimes, of course, we give, I would say, more regard to certain countries,
38:32 as is the case today with our brothers from the Gaza Strip.
38:37 You mentioned earlier a little bit the contribution of Beit Elmel.
38:43 In fact, what is the problem?
38:46 It is a problem of means.
38:48 It is a problem of means, because if we see the cumulative 25 years,
38:52 we arrive at 65 million dollars.
38:54 It is nothing at all compared to the need.
38:56 So, finally, what is the approach?
38:58 Besides, we did a little history.
38:59 But with that, we do a lot.
39:00 Yes, precisely.
39:01 For example, with a balance, I said 3 million dollars, and I forgot to specify,
39:05 it is only for the year 2023.
39:07 The balance is very satisfactory.
39:09 So, precisely, what is the approach?
39:10 I tried to see the history in terms of achievements from 2000 to this day.
39:15 Each time, we focus on a section that I would say is considered as a priority.
39:21 If you look at the achievements year by year,
39:24 you will see that in a year we devote more importance to everything that is protection,
39:29 architectural development, heritage, etc.
39:32 One year, for example, we mentioned the economic aspect.
39:35 After COVID, what was the problem?
39:37 It is the maintenance of economic activity,
39:40 especially the very small and medium-sized companies that were at risk of disappearing.
39:43 There was a whole program of agreements, of training, etc.
39:47 And so, it is based on priorities, based on circumstances.
39:50 Of course, the little means that is available today,
39:54 because there is practically only Morocco that finances,
39:56 is oriented according to priorities.
39:59 Of course, there are a lot of things to do,
40:03 but unfortunately, we are forced,
40:05 according to a very pragmatic, very objective approach,
40:09 to focus, to target a certain area.
40:12 And we see that every year we focus, we zoom in on a certain area.
40:15 Sometimes there is health, there is education.
40:17 Exactly.
40:18 There were more than 8,000 classes.
40:21 So, there is also support, there is youth, children.
40:25 There are things that are parallel and continuous,
40:27 such as the welcome by these children's colonies,
40:30 who come to Morocco every year to visit Morocco,
40:33 who are received with great regard at the official level, etc.
40:37 All this shows that Morocco is of great importance,
40:41 of course, to the human dimension,
40:43 especially childhood and youth.
40:45 And, well, I would say that we could have, we would have wanted to do more,
40:50 but unfortunately, today, there is a need for enthusiasm.
40:52 This issue of the CODES, because it is true,
40:55 there is the Palestinian issue in general,
40:57 and of course, there is the particular case of the CODES.
41:00 It has a symbol, it is symbolic, it is the historical capital, etc.
41:03 There is this historical, religious dimension.
41:06 Today, we are talking about a district called Marariba,
41:10 where there are many Moroccans from Morocco who are settled there.
41:13 So, there is also an emotional link.
41:15 And so, that is why, perhaps today,
41:18 it is this attractiveness, cooperation and involvement,
41:22 especially in the Islamic world, for the particular case of the CODES,
41:26 that we will have to restart.
41:29 I think that there was recently, because it is true,
41:32 at some point, there were even blockages.
41:34 The meetings could not be held regularly.
41:36 But there is a restart, there is a restart,
41:38 there is an awareness.
41:39 We hope that we will focus more on the CODES
41:42 because it is central to the Palestinian issue.
41:45 Exactly, it is central to the Palestinian issue,
41:47 and it remains the permanent conflict between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
41:51 I will let you conclude this debate.
41:54 Mr. Sreimi.
41:56 Quickly, to say this, the agency was created.
41:59 Why was it created?
42:01 Because Morocco wanted to have a device
42:05 that had agility and efficiency,
42:08 and not necessarily managed by a certain ministerial department.
42:12 First element.
42:13 Second element, a call to launch the EU,
42:18 it would have to be like the European Union,
42:20 to ask a participant for a contribution to the GDP pro rata.
42:24 Even 0.01% would be hundreds of millions of dollars.
42:31 Third element, Morocco has this particularity
42:34 of not instrumentalizing the Palestinian issue.
42:38 Unlike other neighboring countries and elsewhere,
42:42 the Moroccans are attached to the Palestinian cause
42:45 with a continuous mobilization.
42:49 The important problem to be raised is that...
42:51 It is a realistic mobilization.
42:53 These calls to mobilization,
42:56 and I see where you are looking, dear Professor Sreimi,
43:00 there is a mobilization, but it is a mobilization with facts.
43:04 This is where we have to put the emphasis on action.
43:11 We are doing what we can do.
43:14 But at the same time, we have to call on other Arab and Muslim countries
43:19 to take a big responsibility
43:23 on the part of the agency,
43:26 where their contributions are derisory,
43:29 but also to take over the Palestinian cause.
43:31 We have to overcome this dramatic situation
43:36 that the Palestinian people are experiencing today,
43:38 and even in the press, we know very well,
43:42 and to bring about a political process of regulation
43:46 on the basis of what?
43:47 It is Morocco's position, which is a variant,
43:50 on the basis of the two states,
43:52 the return to the borders of 4 October 1967,
43:56 and then the fact that there is El Khoutch,
43:59 which is the capital of the Palestinian state.
44:03 In this regard, Morocco's position is constant,
44:05 and it will not change.
44:08 It is a dogma of our foreign policy.
44:11 It is a dogma of our foreign policy,
44:13 and we see it today.
44:16 Indeed, there should be an ear on the other side.
44:20 You have spoken about these Arab countries
44:24 that should mobilize for the Palestinian cause,
44:26 but also, and we know the official policy of the Israeli government,
44:30 they say that they will not stay in Gaza,
44:33 but that they will stay in Gaza after their departure.
44:36 Thank you very much, gentlemen.
44:37 Thank you, Professor Abou-Dahab.
44:39 Thank you, Professor Komat,
44:40 and thank you also, Professor Skrimi.
44:42 So, this was the show we devoted to these high instructions
44:48 given by His Majesty King Mohammed VI
44:50 to immediately unlock scholarships
44:53 in favor of a hundred Palestinian students
44:56 who are continuing their studies on Moroccan soil,
45:00 and who have just joined the hundreds of others
45:03 who are already enjoying this generosity,
45:06 but above all, this benevolence of the sovereign,
45:09 who, let us remind you, is the president of this committee,
45:11 Dalko Douce.
45:12 We all wish, on this holy day of our Muslim calendar,
45:19 this Jumu'ah, that peace may return to these territories
45:25 on this very good evening to all.
45:28 For more information, visit www.fema.org
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