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Jewish Leader Named
To Morocco Cabinet
New York (JTA) — The pres-
ident of Morocco's Jewish
Communities Council has
been named minister of
tourism, in a move seen as
further proof of the North
African country's commit-
ment to peace in the Middle
East.
Serge Berdugo, who last
week was tapped to be the
first Jewish Cabinet official
in more than 35 years, is
personally close to King
Hassan II, who formally ap-
proved the appointment.
In July, King Hassan
awarded Mr. Berdugo the
prestigious medal of the
Order of the Throne.
Speaking by telephone
from Casablanca, Mr. Ber-
dugo said his government
post does not mean he will
step down from his position
in the Jewish community.
"The prime minister said
they are not incompatible,"
Mr. Berdugo told the Jewish
Telegraphic Agency.
In fact, Mr. Berdugo has
been active in promoting
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King Hassan II:
Gave formal approval.
Last month, a high-level
Moroccan delegation took
part in an economic con-
ference in Jerusalem where
members announced plans
to participate in a
multilateral peace company
being launched by Israel's
Koor conglomerate. Pales-
tinian and Spanish investors
will also be partners in the
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project named Salaam, or
Mr. Berdugo will
also keep his
position in the
Jewish community.
Jewish tourism to Morocco
from America and Europe.
Other potential tourists
are the hundreds of
thousands of Jews of
Moroccan origin and descent
living in Israel.
For the past few years,
those Jews have been able to
travel to Morocco on their
Israeli passports, needing
only to say that their
ancestors were Moroccan.
Mr. Berdugo himself has
been to Israel several times.
With the notable exception
of Egypt, most Arab states
bar tourists traveling on
Israeli passports or those
whose passports indicate
they have spent time in
Israel.
Elan Steinberg, executive
director of the World Jewish
Congress, said Mr. Ber-
dugo's appointment is "a
clear signal that Morocco,
which has always been a
bridge (between Israel and
the Arab world), is in-
dicating even more so that it
wants to play that role."
peace.
And this month, in ap-
parent defiance of the Arab
boycott of Israel, a Moroccan
bank established economic
ties with Israel's Bank
Leumi.
As president of the
8,000-member Jewish com-
munity, Mr. Berdugo
welcomed Israeli Prime Min-
ister Yitzhak Rabin and
Foreign Minister Shimon
Peres when they visited
Morocco in September, im-
mediately after signing the
declaration of principles
with the Palestine Libera-
tion Organization in Wash-
ington.
Mr. Berdugo said his ap-
pointment "sends a very
strong signal that Morocco
will always remain an open,
tolerant country for all re-
ligions."
It is also, he said; "another
signal for the Middle East.
We are for peace, and we will
accompany the peace."
"We cannot do everything
all at one time," he said.
"The peace process is built
brick by brick."
And as for his new official
duties, he said: "My role is to
make this country — the
most beautiful country in
the world — a country whose
culture, landscape, tradi-
tions, and very high- caliber
people raise tourism to a
privileged state."
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