Proposal to Rename Agadir Streets After Jewish Figures Sparks Debate

Morocco World

3 days ago

Doha – A proposal to rename several public spaces in Agadir after Moroccan Jewish figures has ignited nationwide controversy.
The Moroccan Institute for Human Rights (MIHR), led by Abdellah El Feryadi, sent a letter to Aziz Akhannouch, mayor of Agadir and current head of government, suggesting changes that would replace the names of nationalist leaders with those of prominent Jewish Moroccan personalities.
The letter, dated May 21, proposes renaming Allal El Fassi Avenue to 'Simon Levy Street' in honor of the late political and economic activist. It also suggests changing Abderrahim Bouabid Avenue to 'Rabbi Khlifa Ben Malka Street,' named after a prominent rabbi buried in the old Ehchach district cemetery.
Additional proposals include naming the Reconstruction Museum after Orna Baziz, a survivor of the 1960 earthquake who authored a significant book about the catastrophe, and renaming the Dakhla district's cultural complex after artist Neta Elkayam.
The MIHR bases its proposal on the Moroccan Constitution's preamble, which recognizes Hebraic heritage as an integral part of national identity. The institute argues that the absence of public spaces bearing the names of Moroccan Jewish figures represents a gap in representing the city's rich cultural and religious heritage.
'We note that to this day, Agadir has no public facility named after a Moroccan Jewish personality, despite the historical importance of this component within the local fabric,' the institute argued in its letter.
The proposal has ignited fierce debate on social media platforms. Many critics question why honoring Jewish figures must come at the expense of national movement heroes.
'Blessing renewal of relations with the Nazis'
'Why attack the symbols of Moroccan resistance against colonization?' lamented one manifestly enraged commenter on social media. Others denounced the act, noting that one of the targeted spaces carries the name of Muhammad al-Durrah, the Palestinian child killed by Israeli forces during the Intifada.
Observers point out that the issue isn't about honoring Jewish Moroccan figures but rather the specific choice to replace the names of national heroes. Critics suggest that new or unnamed streets could be chosen instead of replacing historically significant names.
Aziz Hanaoui, secretary-general of the Moroccan Observatory for Anti-Normalization, declared on his Facebook page that the letter came from someone 'for whom serving Zionism has become a creed, even at the expense of historical national symbols.'
Salima Belemkaddem, president of the Moroccan Movement for Environment 2050, condemned the letter as 'a public call for Zionism from a Moroccan institution,' adding that the request amounts to 'blessing renewal of relations with the Nazis.'
Critics have also flagged El Feryadi's well-documented support for the renewal of ties with Israel and his visits to Tel Aviv during Israel's genocidal onslaught in Gaza, viewing the proposal as a calculated attempt to erode national symbols.
'Foreigners to the city'
El Feryadi expressed surprise at the controversy, insisting that it's 'not an official decision issued by the municipal council, but an independent civil proposal submitted to the elected authorities.'
He defended the initiative, claiming it aims to address 'the injustice suffered by Moroccan citizens of Jewish origin, especially in Agadir, where they have been systematically excluded through decades of public management influenced by exclusionary ideological backgrounds, whether Arab or Islamist in nature.'
Regarding criticism about replacing national figures like El Fassi and Bouabid, El Feryadi asserted: 'We understand some people's emotional attachment to these names, but we don't accept this attachment turning into accusations against our patriotism as we've observed on social media.'
He emphasized that the proposed names belong to local figures from Agadir who provided valuable services to the city, unlike El Fassi and Bouabid, whom he described as 'foreigners to the city.'
As the debate intensifies, the Agadir municipal council has not yet issued any official response regarding whether it will adopt the proposals or subject them to broader consultation with local stakeholders and residents.
Read also: Controversial Petition for Moroccan Citizenship to Jewish Descendants Sparks Debate Tags: AgadirMoroccan Jewish heritage