Tags : Morocco King, Mohammed VI, Israel, Mossad, Lalla Salma, royal family, Crown prince,

He has sat on the throne for 21 years — but what do we really know about the King of Morocco? What was the story behind his wife’s strange disappearance? What happened between her and his sister that sparked rumors of violence inside the royal court? Why did the king pay millions to bury a book? What does he do in Talmud lessons? And how exactly does he dominate social media without being on it?
Shadows around his figure.

Shimon Ifergan

The King of Morocco

This past July, Mohammed VI marked 21 years on the throne. During those two decades, the King of Morocco led liberal reforms — among other things, he worked to integrate women into government institutions, dismantled the terrifying internal investigative authority, and established a commission to examine human-rights violations under his father, Hassan II. But when it comes to his personal life, the man widely perceived as a symbol of openness insists on remaining in the shadows.

Despite the veil of secrecy, it’s known that the past year in the 57-year-old king’s life has been dramatic. About a week before the anniversary of his coronation, he was rushed to the royal hospital in Rabat because of cardiac issues; on the international stage, there was the historic decision to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel — a move that revived old rumors about various connections he had with Israeli intelligence bodies; and at home, the king found himself at the center of a family melodrama. On one side, a renewed closeness with his wife after a long period of separation; on the other, an unending — and in at least one case, apparently bloody — conflict between her and the king’s sister.

With the help of local journalists, figures in the Jewish community, and reports in the French press — which covers the king obsessively — here are nine unresolved mysteries surrounding his life and his court.

Where Did Lalla Salma Disappear To?

A few hours before he inherited the crown from his late father in July 1999, rumors spread in Morocco that Mohammed had secretly married, so as not to violate the tradition that a crown prince must be married at the time of coronation. Even The New York Times could not confirm or deny the rumor (“There are conflicting reports,” it wrote then. “An official palace source denies that a wedding took place.”). Officially, he has been married only since 2002 — the year his wife, Salma Bennani, whose title since then has been Princess Lalla Salma, was publicly revealed.

About two years ago, people in Morocco began talking about a conflict between the king’s wife and her sister-in-law, Princess Lalla Hasna (pictured). At the height of the family drama, social networks were flooded with reports claiming that the king’s sister had stabbed his wife and seriously injured her.

Mohammed VI is the first Moroccan king to reveal the identity of his wife before their marriage — a computer engineer from a middle-class family, 15 years his junior. Princess Salma became a public figure, regularly appearing alongside the king, or in his place, at official events (among other things, she hosted a festive concert combining Jewish and Arab musicians in the early 2010s). Court insiders say she was the driving force behind the women’s-rights reform the king enacted in 2004. But the woman who was arguably the most recognized figure in Morocco vanished completely from public view about four years ago.

After she missed several ceremonies and receptions, rumors began to circulate about mysterious illnesses that had struck Lalla Salma. There were even reports that she had been assassinated. But it seems the only real danger was to her marriage: according to reports from Morocco at the end of the last decade, the princess left the country for a villa in Greece, funded by the king.

About a year ago, palace officials unofficially admitted that Mohammed VI had divorced his wife — but whatever their official status today, recent weeks have brought signs of a potential comeback between the king and the princess. Behind the scenes, their son, Crown Prince Moulay Hassan III, is pushing for a unified family image for the public. “There’s a lot of gossip that the king and the princess will resume living together, but no one really knows what’s going on,” a palace insider told us this week. “If it does happen, it would be wonderful news for the Moroccan people.” Though perhaps less so for the king’s sister.

Why Did the Princesses Fall Out?

About two years ago, in spring 2019, people in Morocco began speaking about a feud between Lalla Salma and her sister-in-law, the king’s sister, Princess Lalla Hasna. At first it was said that the sister felt threatened by Salma’s popularity among the people; palace insiders also claimed that the king’s decision to appoint Moulay Hassan III — Salma’s son — as crown prince added fuel to the fire. At the peak of the family drama, in April 2019, Moroccan social networks were flooded with reports claiming that the king’s sister had stabbed his wife and seriously injured her, and that Princess Salma was recovering in a hospital under heavy security.

As far-fetched as it sounds, a local journalist told us this week:
“What happens in the royal family is a telenovela, but Moroccan media won’t harm Mohammed VI. There is total censorship on what occurs in the palace. It is forbidden to write anything at all about what goes on behind closed doors or anything against the king.”

What Was in the Book That Was Buried?

In 2015, two French journalists were arrested in Paris after signing an agreement promising them ransom money in exchange for shelving a book they had written about the king. The journalists, Eric Laurent and Catherine Graciet, were arrested on suspicion of extortion.

About a month earlier, Laurent had informed the royal court that the book was expected to be published. Their previous book, The Predatory King (translated title) published in 2012, exposed the king’s economic takeover of Morocco and sparked a wave of publications criticizing his conduct — which prompted him to restrict press freedom in the country: as a controlling shareholder in major Moroccan companies, the king demanded that those companies stop advertising in media outlets that published negative stories about the royal family. Meanwhile, many journalists fled the country after being personally fined for reports the palace had not approved. “There’s no problem criticizing the Moroccan government,” said a local journalist exiled to Spain. “As long as you never said anything personally negative about the king, you could keep working.”

“What happens in the royal family is a telenovela, but the Moroccan media won’t harm Mohammed VI,” says a local journalist. “It’s forbidden to write about what goes on behind closed doors or against the king.”

It is believed that Laurent and Graciet’s second book dealt with Mohammed VI’s private life — and here the versions diverge. According to the royal court, the journalists extorted the king and were willing to bury the book in exchange for €2 million. The journalists, meanwhile, claimed that it was the king who approached them. Still, they admitted that they agreed to the deal. “I arrived at the meeting with a lawyer sent by the king,” Graciet said in the documentary The King of Morocco: The Secret Rule, released in France about a year after the affair erupted. “He arrived with envelopes full of money — this was the down payment. He asked me where my bag was and poured the money into it. There were €80,000 in there.” To this day, it’s not known what the journalists had uncovered, and the royal court continues to insist the book contained nothing real.

What on Earth Is Going On With Facebook?

In a photo published in September 2016 that received tens of thousands of likes on social media, the king appears in a selfie taken by a fan in Paris. “We were on a family shopping trip on the Champs-Élysées when we saw the king in a 4×4,” the user wrote on Facebook. “I called out to him excitedly, ‘Sidna’ (Your Majesty), and he was kind enough to stop, say hello, and lift my little daughter in his arms for another photo.”

Social networks are full of other photos of the king around the world. He himself does not have official Instagram or Facebook accounts, but it seems Mohammed VI knows exactly how to be present while absent. “Behind the photos and posts is a sophisticated strategy,” said historian Pierre Vermeren in a recent French radio interview. “The images come from a calculated communication policy. There’s a clear intention to present the king as close to his people.”

Many photos of the king first appear on a Facebook page run by a 31-year-old photographer named Soufiane El Bahri. Since 2008, when he was just 19, he has managed two additional unofficial pages dedicated to members of the royal family. El Bahri — a well-known figure in Morocco, a nightlife personality and playboy — keeps his distance from the press and did not respond to our inquiry. In a rare interview with CNN Arabic, he said he admires the king and emphasized that he coordinates with the palace, but denied any direct connection to the king himself and claimed he had never met him — raising among commenters the obvious question: “Then how does he get the photos?”

What Does the King of Morocco Have to Do With the Talmud?

Like his father, Hassan II, Mohammed VI maintains close ties with the Jewish community in Morocco. His closest adviser is André Azoulay, a former senior banker who also served his father, but Mohammed VI also mingles with the less prominent members of the community: in recent years he has been seen more than once arriving in a traditional robe at synagogues around the country and studying Talmud with rabbis. About a year ago, he attended the inauguration of the Jewish Museum Synagogue in Morocco, and this year — following the upgrade of diplomatic relations with Israel — he ordered the renovation of all Jewish saints’ graves in the country and the inclusion of Moroccan Jewish history in the school curriculum.

“Morocco has symbolized Jewish–Muslim coexistence for hundreds of years,” says a Jewish resident of the country. “The king’s father used to visit synagogues to study with rabbis, and now the son is doing it. He behaves in the synagogue like any ordinary person, he doesn’t look for honor, and he is very knowledgeable in the Talmud and the Torah. Sometimes he surprises us with his interpretations.”

The king also sought help from the Jewish community regarding his heart condition. About a year and a half ago, he secretly met the exiled Rabbi Yoshiyahu Pinto. The rabbi wrote him a special amulet and promised him it would protect his life, and the king, in return, ensured that Pinto was appointed head of the rabbinical courts in Morocco. “He trusts Rabbi Pinto more than he trusts the doctors,” said someone close to the king at the time. Six months earlier, during one of his frequent visits to Paris — visits during which he is often seen without security guards, wandering the streets like an ordinary person — the king was photographed having an impromptu conversation at a Chabad tefillin stand with Rabbi Israel Goldberg. The two spoke at length about the weekly Torah portion.

About eight years ago, the king’s relationship with the Jewish community was put to a practical test when two leaders of Israeli crime organizations, Avi Rohan and Shalom Domrani, settled in Morocco. Dozens of additional criminals followed, and later, Rabbi Eliezer Berland — wanted in Israel for sexual crimes — also arrived there. When Jewish community leaders realized what was happening, they contacted the king’s associates and the Interior Ministry, and a sweeping order was issued to expel the criminals and the rabbi.

Is the Mossad Helping the King?

No one will ever officially admit it, but beneath the surface there is a communication channel between the Mossad and other Israeli security agencies and senior figures in Morocco — including the king himself. This is nothing new; Israeli intelligence and government officials, sometimes in disguise, also met with Hassan II. But it seems these secret ties have only been strengthening.

Sources in Morocco reveal that about five years ago, there was real concern that ISIS fighters would infiltrate the country and attempt to overthrow the regime. According to these sources, Israel helped thwart terror attacks across Morocco and contributed to ensuring that the Arab Spring would bypass the country. “The king highly values the Israeli security officials who helped him stay in power behind the scenes,” says someone connected to Morocco’s intelligence community. “Israel also helped him with arms deals with the United States, and relations with Israel produced support from the Jewish lobby in the U.S. and closeness with Donald Trump. That’s what ultimately led to the upgrade in relations between Israel and Morocco.”

Will these good relations spill over into the personal channel between Mohammed VI and Netanyahu? Not necessarily. In a few weeks, direct flights between Israel and Morocco will begin, and liaison offices will open, but the king is in no rush to meet the prime minister. Netanyahu would like the king to visit Israel before the elections to reap political benefits, and behind the scenes negotiations are taking place, but much depends on the king’s health — and not only that.

“The king and his father did not like how Israeli governments have treated the Palestinian people over the years,” says a source familiar with palace affairs. “This is reflected in fiery demonstrations in the country and speeches by members of parliament calling to close the borders to Israeli tourists. The people and the king respect the Jewish people — not the conduct of their leaders. Bibi? He will have to work hard to earn the king’s trust.”

Why Did Hassan II Cut Off His Son?

Mohammed VI was 36 when he inherited the throne from his late father. It seemed natural — the son always appeared alongside the father at official events — but something felt strange: the crown prince had never uttered a word in public. When he was young, his silence was accepted; later, embarrassing speculation emerged about his lack of interest in the monarchy. French journalists even predicted a military coup shortly after his coronation and described him as a playboy who spent his time partying and traveling around the world.

But perhaps something else stood between Hassan II and his son. In 1990, the father stopped providing the prince with financial support — at the time, Mohammed was 27 and had just completed his PhD in public law at the University of Nice in France. Mohammed responded by traveling the world with friends from his all-boys school, the “Collège Royal.” The father, for his part, sent his interior minister, Driss Basri, to follow the prince and ensure he did not create scandals. Basri — the figure most associated with Hassan II’s iron-fisted rule — was the first person Mohammed fired after ascending the throne.

The crown prince, 17-year-old Moulay Hassan (pictured), owns a private jet valued at about $67 million. Over the past year, difficult testimonies have been published about his rude behavior toward security guards, drivers, and palace servants, both at home and during vacations with his father.

To this day, it is not known why Hassan II cut his son off from the family’s funds, but one thing is certain: the son fully recovered from it. Mohammed VI is now considered one of the richest people in the world, with an estimated wealth of $8.5 billion. He draws a monthly salary of €40,000 and holds an investment portfolio that includes shares in international energy and infrastructure companies. A large part of the country’s revenue flows directly to the royal household, and tens of thousands of employees maintain the 20 palaces scattered across Morocco.

The king owns dozens of apartments and chateaus in Morocco and France, a fleet of yachts, a collection of dozens of cars, and a full collection of Rolex watches valued at $170 million. About a year ago, 36 of them were stolen from the Marrakech palace under the guards’ noses; a few days later, a suspect — a former palace cleaning worker — was arrested. She had stolen the watches on behalf of a jewelry theft gang. Twenty-five people were arrested in the affair, including 14 jewelry merchants, thieves, and intermediaries. The cleaner was sentenced to 15 years in prison, and the others received sentences ranging from four to fifteen years.

This year, Morocco’s economy collapsed under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that did not stop the king from purchasing a 1,000-square-meter mansion worth €80 million on Avenue Émile-Deschanel in Paris. Sources in Morocco implicitly criticized the king for the timing, especially since he himself had called for social solidarity. “It was a deal arranged before the COVID crisis, and for the king it was an opportunity to buy a property at a discount,” one of Mohammed VI’s associates attempted to justify.

“Ordinary people worship him, but in recent years there has been growing criticism of his extravagance,” says a member of the Jewish community. “I’m sure the king is aware of the criticism, but he isn’t doing enough to eradicate poverty in the country.”

What Is the King’s Medical Condition?

In February 2018, Mohammed VI suffered his first cardiac event. He was rushed to the hospital while in Paris and chose not to return to Morocco for recovery — a decision that angered many in the country. In June of that year, he underwent surgery to correct heart rhythm disturbances, and media reports said the procedure went well. However, his health did not allow him to attend the funeral of his close friend, former French President Jacques Chirac, who died three months later. Last summer, he reportedly suffered another cardiac event, and although this may now be routine, rumors of his death circulated in Morocco — and the national newspaper even published a profile of his son, Moulay Hassan, as the future heir.

Is Morocco facing a change of rule? If so, it may not go smoothly.

Will the Succession Be Disrupted?

Like his father when he was young, 17-year-old Moulay Hassan regularly accompanies his father to official events. He plans to study at Morocco’s national aviation school and already owns a private jet reportedly worth $67 million. Recently, reports surfaced of a rift between him and the king after the prince refused to leave his mother Princess Salma’s palace and move in with his father. But it seems he has bigger problems within the family.

Foreign websites have published, over the past year, harsh testimonies — apparently leaked by interested parties inside the royal family — about the crown prince’s rude behavior toward security guards, drivers, and palace staff, both at home and during trips with his father. To Avoid destabilizing the country, the king ensured his son undergo preparation for the role, including familiarization with military and security units, so that the transfer of the scepter will take place smoothly one day. But it is unclear whether this will be enough.

Alongside the hostility from his aunt, Lalla Hasna, the young Moulay Hassan faces family members who disliked the decision to appoint him crown prince. His sister, Princess Lalla Khadija, is only 14 and does not challenge his status due to her gender; Morocco is not a progressive country in that regard. But the actions of another family member should concern — and perhaps alarm — Western and Israeli intelligence: since the deterioration of the king’s health, reports from Morocco say that his brother, Prince Rachid, enraged at being passed over, is planning to seize power with the help of his allies the moment Mohammed VI steps down.

Source : Channel 12

Source : mako Magazine, 13.01.21

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