Rabat, March 2 (Reuter) - Moroccan Jews re-elected former tourism minister Serge BERDUGO to head their 8,000-strong community and pledged support for Morocco and for Middle East peace, the official news agency MAP said on Thursday.
Serge BERDUGO was the only Jewish minister in the previous cabinet but was dismissed in a reshuffle last week. From Meknes in the north, he has been secretary-general of the Council of Moroccan Jews since 1988.
He is also president of the world assembly of Moroccan Jewry.
MAP said representatives of Jewish communities from the cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Tangier, Meknes, Fez, Marrakesh and Agadir elected BERDUGO unanimously during a meeting in Casablanca.
at at The Moroccan Jewish community reaffirmed the mobilization of the Moroccan Jewish community for the sacred causes of the nation, its territorial integrity... the well-being of the Moroccan people and the success of the Middle East peace process,'' the council said in a communiqué carried by M.A.P.
Morocco's Jewish community has dwindled from an estimated 300,000 to around 8,000 in the last four decades. But it remains the largest single community in the Arab world and has enjoyed the protection of Moroccan monarchs since the 16th century.
One of King HASSAN's closest aides is Andre AZOULAY, a Jewish adviser on economic policy.
Daniel E. LOEB, loeb17@gmail.com
