Latest news with #BenjaminStora
El Chorouk
29-07-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
The Moroccan Regime Is At War To Target Algeria's Memory.
The Moroccan regime, with meticulous planning from the Royal Palace, is waging a war on Algerian memory, enlisting pseudo-historians to try and undermine one of the symbolic pillars of the revolution. This targeting also extended to a prominent French historical figure, Benjamin Stora, simply because this historian did not align with the expansionist theses of the Moroccan regime and its fifth column arms. This campaign is planned from within the Palace, and the tool is 'Al-360' newspaper, owned by Mounir Madjidi, the private secretary of Moroccan King Mohammed VI. It has consistently provided a platform for a French individual who claims to be a historian, named Bernard Lugan, who writes nothing but attacks on Algeria's history or casts doubt on its borders, precisely in line with the expansionist thesis of the Alawi regime, which knows no path to the honor of resistance and defending the nation's movement. The latest chapter of what the 'spokesperson' newspaper for the Palace wrote, penned by this alleged historian on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, was an attempt to target a pivotal historical moment in the history of the Liberation Revolution, namely the Soummam Congress. Its author, a mercenary Frenchman, tried to sow discord among the revolution's men, the makers of independence, accusing them of liquidating each other. These are illusions that French colonialism tried to exploit during the glorious Liberation Revolution to detonate it from within, but it failed. The Alawi Palace, through its article titled: 'The Soummam Congress… or what another Algeria could have been,' tried to give the impression that the imprisonment of the Franco-Algerian writer, Boualem Sansal, was due to the latter daring to repeat words that even the French themselves did not say, regarding the borders, and by accusing the men of the Liberation Revolution of being terrorists, as Sansal once said with utter impudence and baseness. What is striking is that the Alawi Palace's targeting, through its media arm, even extended to a globally recognized academic figure, particularly in France, the historian Benjamin Stora. Mounir Majidi, the private secretary of Moroccan King Mohammed VI, as its de facto editor-in-chief, did not hesitate to describe Stora as a 'charlatan in the service of Algeria.' The newspaper dedicated a lengthy article to the French historian, Benjamin Stora, describing him with the most heinous terms and using phrases inspired by the theocratic spirit of the Moroccan regime, evoked from the darkness of the Middle Ages: 'Benjamin Stora dreamed of being the hero of the great Franco-Algerian reconciliation, but he became its gravedigger.' And because Stora exposed many of the theses promoted by the Moroccan regime through some of its pawns, including the Franco-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, he became a target for the Alawi Palace, which now acts as if it is more French than the French. In the view of the 'media spokesperson' for the Alawi Palace, Benjamin Stora 'finds himself rejected by France, which is tired of his Algerian patriotism and his lack of sympathy in the Sansal case.' However, the reason for the Moroccan regime's focused targeting of historian Benjamin Stora and its attempt to tarnish his image is no longer hidden from any observer. The historian, who is highly regarded in academic, media, and political circles in France, directly refuted the border thesis promoted by the Alawi regime on French public television. This brought him the wrath of the Alawi kingdom and its allies from Zionist and far-right circles in France. It is worth noting here the devastating response launched by Stora from a French television studio, refuting what Boualem Sansal had repeated, when he said that Tlemcen, which Sansal considers part of Morocco, gave birth to the father of the national movement in Algeria, Messali Hadj, and Mascara, which Sansal also attributed to the western neighbor, gave birth to the founder of the modern Algerian state, Emir Abdelkader El Djezairi. These statements shook the foundations of French propaganda as it tried to portray Sansal as a victim of freedom of expression, only to reveal that he is merely a mouthpiece in a fifth column, working for a regime devoid of honor and knowing no path to the values of sovereignty.
El Chorouk
06-07-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Benjamin Stora Reveals Secrets of the Memory File With Macron
French historian of Algerian origin, Benjamin Stora, revealed some of the secrets he shared with French President Emmanuel Macron over the course of nearly ten years. These exchanges, during which the resident of the Élysée Palace formulated his project on the Algerian-French memory file, were discussed. He also spoke, for the first time, about his grandfather's interests being targeted by figures from the Algerian Revolution. The French president began approaching the historian, who had worked on the Algerian-French memory issue for five decades, according to Stora, in a podcast in which the rector of the Paris Mosque, Chems Eddine Hafiz, played the role of the interviewer, as reported by the mosque on its X account. Stora said that the French president approached him in 2016 for consultations as an expert to search for ways to deal with the Algerian-French memory issue, which is considered one of the most sensitive, along with other issues. At the time, the French president was merely a potential candidate for the French presidential elections. He visited Algeria in February 2017 after submitting his candidacy. During that visit, he made an unprecedented statement about the French colonisation of Algeria, confirming that 'it is a crime against humanity'. However, he retracted these statements immediately upon his return to France, under pressure from the far right and those dreaming of a 'French Algeria.' The historian, who is highly respected by the Algerian authorities and was previously received by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, explained that he told Macron, who became French president in 2017, 'Since the story is very long, we must be patient.' He added that he also advised him to choose symbolic acts and proceed step by step. Stora's goal behind this 'step-by-step' policy was to expose the reality of the war and the colonial system to French society and younger generations. Algerians strongly criticised this policy, considering it a 'policy of distillation,' at a time when Algerians were demanding recognition and even an apology for French crimes over 132 years, a demand Paris continues to reject to this day. According to Benjamin Stora's testimony, the French president accepted the advice he offered, which led to his subsequent assignment to prepare the report on the memory of French colonialism in Algeria in January 2021. Benjamin Stora attempted to maintain an equitable distance between the Algerian and French sides, and he was criticised by both sides. The French side, the far right, considered him to have followed the ideas of the National Liberation Front, while the Algerians criticised him for not calling on Paris to apologise for its crimes during 132 years of destructive settlers' colonialism. However, Stora, speaking to the rector of the Paris Mosque, emphasised that his consultation was behind some of the French president's subsequent steps regarding memory. He noted that he suggested to Emmanuel Macron that the French state acknowledge its responsibility for the extrajudicial killing of many of the revolution's leaders and some of its French supporters. A reference here is to the forgiveness Macron offered, on behalf of the French state, to the family of mathematics professor and activist for the Algerian cause, Maurice Audin, lawyer and activist Ali Boumendjel, and martyred hero Larbi Ben M'hidi, all of whom were brutally liquidated by French occupation army paratroopers. This followed decades of denial and fabrication, with claims of suicide, as in the case of martyr Ben M'hidi. He also proposed that France honour Mouloud Feraoun's memory by placing a wreath on his grave. Among his unanswered proposals, Benjamin Stora regretted his failure in the case of revolutionary lawyer Gisèle Halimi, attributing the reason to the mobilisation of Harkis' sons and their signing of a petition against her admission to the Panthéon. He also revealed that President Tebboune was the one who suggested the establishment of a commission of historians from both sides. This commission made significant progress but was halted immediately after the French president's 'unfriendly' stance, siding with the Moroccan regime in the summer of 2024 regarding the Western Sahara issue. Stora expressed his hope that the Algerian-French Joint Commission would be able to resume its work, which could contribute to restoring the currently stalled relations. In testimony disclosed for the first time, Benjamin Stora revealed that he met with former minister and leader of the historic second wilaya, Abderrezak Bouhara, in 2002. The latter joked with him, saying, 'I have a debt to you that I must repay. I burned your grandfather's truck in Khenchela in 1956.' Benjamin Stora's grandfather was the mayor of Khenchela (eastern Algeria) during the liberation revolution.
El Chorouk
04-06-2025
- General
- El Chorouk
Debate on Colonial Crimes and Their Impact on the Algerian-French Crisis
In line with the French historian of Algerian origin, Benjamin Stora, who argues that the memory file can help ease tensions between Algeria and Paris, two countries experiencing an unprecedented political and diplomatic crisis, the French capital is hosting a debate on the French colonization of Algeria and its impact on the current disputes between the two capitals. The roundtable discussion will take place on June 14 in Paris, under the title 'The French Colonisation's Past in Algeria and the Current Diplomatic Dispute Between the Two Countries.' It will feature well-known historians, academics, and journalists in France, including Alain Riscio (historian), Jean-Pierre Sereni (journalist at Orient XXI), a French historian of Algerian origin, Nedjib Sidi Moussa, sociologist Aïssa Kadri, jurist Mouloud Boumgar, and moderated by the Egyptian journalist (PhD in French Literature) and editor in chief of the leading newspaper of the Arab and Muslim community. The round table discussion is prepared and organised by the Association for Colonial and Postcolonial History, in collaboration with Orient XXI magazine and , to 'decode the current crisis between France and Algeria.' The Association for Colonial and Postcolonial History is known for its tireless efforts to combat colonialist ideology and call for rectifying the disasters of colonialism by offering an apology to the peoples affected by it. Organisers open the debate for the public with free admission at the International Centre for Popular Culture in Paris, on Saturday, June 14, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The title of this debate highlights the extent of the impact that France's colonial past has had on Algeria, which has been escalating since last summer. The work of the mixed committee on memory was halted, coinciding with Algeria's recall of its ambassador, Mohamed-Antar Daoud, from Paris, following French President Emmanuel Macron's shift in position on the Western Sahara issue. A few days ago, historian Benjamin Stora, who chairs the French Memory Commission, said that the memory issue 'represents a possible way out of the crisis, and is indispensable in any case, and necessary in any case, because we cannot consider the Algerian history to be like all others.' On this occasion, he called for working towards a quick settlement: 'We need strong initiatives, especially regarding the issue of the French colonisation of Algeria in the nineteenth century. But today, in my opinion, considering the possibility of launching initiatives on memory could serve as an alternative to resuming political relations, which is necessary to resolve immigration or visa issues.' Benjamin Stora is presented as an advisor to the French president on memory matters. He has previously blamed the French side for the ongoing tensions, accusing Macron personally of causing the crisis in a previous interview with France 24, where he stated: 'First, it is important to note that French President Emmanuel Macron's statement regarding the Moroccan regime's (alleged) sovereignty over the Sahrawi territories has added fuel to the fire.' Since the outbreak of the crisis, French officials have not stopped demanding the resumption of work on the memory file. However, the Algerian side has shown no response. Rather, it has raised its demands for the return of all the looted Algerian archives in French vaults, as stated by the head of the Algerian memory commission, Mohamed Zeghidi. The possibility of resuming work on this file appeared on the horizon after the visit that led the French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, to Algeria on April 6th. However, the recklessness of Bruno Retailleau, the Interior Minister in the government of François Bayrou, by kidnapping an Algerian consular employee in a Parisian street outside diplomatic norms, brought the crisis back to square one. This incident also revealed the existence of a real crisis in the decision-making circles in Paris, and that the French President had lost control of things, even if some tried to talk about a well-crafted scenario for exchanging political roles in relations with the former colony.
El Chorouk
25-05-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
Retailleau ruined relations with Algeria, and the French colonization was brutal.
The French Press Agency (AFP) acted suspiciously in the interview it conducted with the French historian, Benjamin Stora, last Wednesday, focusing on a small aspect of the dialogue related to the role of memory in reviving relations between Algeria and France, while ignoring more important points concerning the heinous crimes of French colonialism in Algeria and the role of the far-right, represented by the Minister of the Interior, Bruno Retailleau, in destroying the bridges of communication between the two countries. The French Press Agency summarized the interview in a brief dispatch that various French media outlets covered last Wednesday, while the full interview was only disseminated through the agency's YouTube channel on Saturday, May 24. The full interview was rich in details of great importance that the dispatch did not mention. It was striking in following the 'video dialogue,' which lasted for 35 minutes, the disappearance of many points that the French historian discussed regarding Algerian-French relations from the past and present, especially concerning the description of the occupation crimes during the initial period of colonization that lasted for eighty years, as well as the crisis instigated by the far-right to destroy the relations between Algeria and Paris. What Benjamin Stora said: 'The French colonization of Algeria cannot be considered a trivial matter, because it was a colonization unlike any other. There was a colonial invasion that lasted for eighty years. It was truly horrific; there were atrocious massacres that the French only discovered recently. Entire villages and cities were destroyed, and this cannot be ignored. There were burnings (the caves), forced relocations of Algerians from their land, and their confinement in camps.' He adds: 'These are painful memories in the history of Algerians that cannot be underestimated. Algeria was part of France, not just a protectorate like Morocco and Indochina. France's borders, until the 1960s, extended south to Mali, Niger, Libya, and Mauritania… The French believed it was impossible to abandon Algeria, which is rich in oil, gas, phosphate, and gold, which led some of the French people to consider Algeria's independence a betrayal.' General Charles de Gaulle was accused of committing this betrayal, and he was the target of assassination attempts several times until his death in 1970. As for the telegram reported by the French Press Agency last Wednesday (France Press), it focused on the role of memory in bridging the gap between the two countries. It quoted Stora: 'We need strong initiatives, especially regarding the issue of French colonization of Algeria in the 19th century. But today, in my opinion, considering the possibility of launching memory initiatives could serve as an alternative to resuming political relations,' which is 'necessary to resolve issues of immigration or visas.' The agency also overlooked an important aspect of the dialogue, which is the role of Algeria in driving rapprochement through memory. Benjamin Stora pointed out that the idea of creating a joint committee of Algerian and French historians originated in Algeria, and it was an initiative that should have been capitalized on. The historian emphasized that the committee cannot write a shared history because each side has its own perspective. The French consider colonialism as bringing civilization to Algeria, while the Algerians view it as the main reason for the killing of millions, the theft of their wealth, and their illiteracy. In the opinion of the French historian, progress on the memory front could have alleviated tensions through initiatives from the French president, which were embodied in Macron's acknowledgment that the French state is responsible for the assassination of Maurice Audin, Ali Boumendjel, and the martyr Arab Ben Mhidi. However, the controversial shift in the French stance on the Sahrawi issue led to the stifling of that initiative, which was proposed after its crystallization during the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Algeria in the summer of 2022. He also accused France of making decisions that intensified the crisis, as it 'reduced the number of visas granted to Algerians without announcing it, from 400 to 200 or 250 thousand, and Algerians are aware of this. Requesting a visa from a holder of a diplomatic passport is considered reaching the brink of a break, which I don't think will happen because there are millions of people from both sides and shared ties of land and lineage.' Stora was asked if he would play the role of mediator to resolve the crisis between the two countries, to which he replied: 'The mediator must be accepted by both parties of the crisis. There is no search for a mediator. The crisis has reduced communication channels. I was indeed received by the two presidents in 2020 and 2021, but many things have changed today; we are in 2025.' He hinted that the French Minister of the Interior is responsible for the deterioration of these bilateral relations.
El Chorouk
21-05-2025
- Politics
- El Chorouk
The crisis with Algeria will continue, and memory file may be the key to the solution
The French historian, Benjamin Stora, who heads the joint memory committee alongside historian Mohamed Zeghdidi, expects the tension that characterizes relations between Algeria and France to continue, but he does not see this tension reaching the point of a diplomatic break in its classical sense (closing embassies in both countries), and called for playing the memory file as a card that can alleviate the tension between the two countries. Benjamin Stora, who serves as an advisor to French President Emmanuel Macron on memory affairs, is considered one of the few voices calling for calm, and does not hesitate to criticize hostile stances towards Algeria by some French politicians, such as Bruno Retailleau, the Minister of Interior in François Bayrou's government. In an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Wednesday, Benjamin Stora said: 'We need strong initiatives, especially regarding the issue of French colonialism in Algeria in the 19th century. But today, in my opinion, considering the possibility of launching initiatives on memory may be an alternative to resuming political relations,' which is 'necessary to resolve issues of immigration or visas.' The historian calls for continuing this work related to memory in order to achieve calm, and emphasizes the importance of building on previous initiatives, referring to France's recognition of responsibility for the assassination of Algerian politicians and activists by the French army during the Liberation Revolution, such as the French activist for the revolution, Maurice Audin, the revolution's lawyer Ali Boumendjel, and the martyr Larbi Ben M'hidi. These initiatives came in a piecemeal manner without reaching the basic demand of Algerians, which is the recognition of its colonial crimes, which stripped those initiatives of their value. Stora believes that working on the memory file 'constitutes a possible way out of the crisis, and is indispensable in any case, and necessary in any case, because we cannot (…) consider that this Algerian history is like all other histories,' due to the heavy burden of the colonial past from its very beginnings until the Liberation Revolution, which witnessed brutal massacres against Algerians. He added: 'We cannot resolve relations that lasted 132 years with one speech or one initiative. It is a very long period, 132 years. It spans more than six generations,' and these facts have made relations between the two countries more complex, saying: We must remember that the relationship between France and Algeria has always been full of troubles and fluctuations, and a lot of tensions and detentes. Therefore, he does not see a way out of the crisis in the short term, even if France agrees to new initiatives on the memory level, due to the level the current crisis has reached, for which the French side is responsible, as it was the party that initiated the provocation when it decided to support the Moroccan regime's plan in Western Sahara, despite its awareness of the risks of such a decision on bilateral relations. It is known that the work of the mixed committee in charge of the memory file has been suspended since last summer, following the French President's decision to change his country's position on the Sahrawi issue, and this committee was about to resume its activity last April after the visit of the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, to Algeria, but the action of suspicious parties in Paris to arrest an official at the Algerian consulate in Paris outside of norms, law, and diplomacy, brought the crisis back to its beginnings. Stora says: 'This time, the crisis is absolutely unprecedented,' which may prolong its life for a long time, and he warned that this problem is worsening more and more, because in France, as in Algeria, there are 'people and organizations who have an interest in things not always going well.' Stora did not rule out that Algeria could be a subject of the next presidential campaign in two years, as was the case in 2007. Nicolas Sarkozy 'campaigned heavily on the basis of French Algeria.'
