Exclusively for Dzair Tube: Moroccan Jewish Returnee Fuels Evictions in Tangier’s “Houmt Al-Chouk” Neighborhood

BY: Hana Saada

ALGIERS- In a startling turn of events, thousands of residents from the “Houmt Al-Chouk” neighborhood in Tangier, Morocco, gathered on October 25, 2023, to protest eviction orders issued by the Moroccan judiciary. The residents, enraged men, women, and youth, faced the prospect of being forcibly removed from homes they have inhabited for years. What adds fuel to the controversy is that a Moroccan Jew, who returned from the Zionist entity, is behind the eviction demands.

Amidst the protests in the Houmt El Chouk neighborhood in Tangier, demonstrators have voiced their concerns, asserting that the plaintiff company demanding the eviction is owned by a Zionist Jew who returned to Morocco to stake claims on Moroccan property. The unfolding story of Houmet El Chouk raises questions about the motivations behind the lawsuit and the identity of those driving the legal action against the residents.

Abdelkarim, one of the affected residents, expressed his anger after receiving a summons from the Tangier court. He protested outside the court, declaring, “My house was built in 1992, and I have been living in it for years. I cannot be evicted.”

Approximately 20 families have received similar summonses, leading to a massive gathering of protesters supporting the affected families. A widow, expressing her distress, said, “I have lived for 60 years in Houmet El Chouk and gave birth to 9 children there, and today I was surprised by a summons to evict me. Where will I go?”

Omar Aberrich, a media dissident affiliated with the residents’ coordination committee, stated that the residents understand that a ruling for eviction could set a precedent affecting others.

Houmet Al-Chouk: A Community in Turmoil

Houmt Al-Chouk is a neighborhood comprising around 1704 two to three-story houses, housing approximately 5000 residents. The community includes mosques, a cemetery, social facilities, and underwent urban development with access to water and electricity. Residents have been paying taxes, and municipal funds have been allocated for road extensions and public facilities. The sudden demand for eviction raises questions about the property rights and the residents’ future.

Ownership Dispute and Legal Battle

It is important to note from the outset that the subject at hand pertains to a property spanning approximately 14 hectares, duly registered under No. 8185/K in the Real Estate Governorate of Morocco. This property is owned by a company known as “Al Charaf Immobilier.”

Situated above a portion of this property is the Benkirane neighborhood, specifically referred to as “Houmt El Chouk.” The construction of this neighborhood was authorized by the municipal authorities and executed through customary contracts.

Located in the northeastern region of Tangier, the neighborhood is positioned merely 3 kilometers away from the city center.

Moroccan media outlets have shed light on the limited information available regarding the clandestine sale of this property since the 1980s. The circumstances surrounding this transaction, as well as the identities of the parties involved, remain shrouded in mystery, warranting further investigation.

Beginning in the late seventies and eighties, the construction of residential houses and apartment buildings commenced under the vigilant supervision of successive government bodies and real estate agencies. These entities facilitated the process of construction and reconstruction within the region.

In 2002, Charaf Immobilier, the proprietor of the aforementioned property, unexpectedly emerged. According to official documents, the company is owned by ALBERT BOUMENDEL, an individual of Jewish faith with French-Moroccan heritage.

 Lawsuit against the Municipality of Tangier: A Case of Land Compensation

In 2002, Lawyer Mohamed Al-Ansari was entrusted with the task of filing a lawsuit against the municipal authorities of Tangier before the Administrative Court. The lawsuit was initiated due to the municipality’s permission for private companies to construct a residential neighborhood on their land, complete with essential amenities, such as water, electricity, and roads.

The Moroccan Zionist company, feeling aggrieved, held the municipality responsible for the informal housing built on their land. They argued that since 1967, they had been deprived of the opportunity to exploit their own property.

Initially, the municipality attempted to negotiate a land exchange, but the process failed to materialize. Consequently, the returning Jew’s company sought compensation from the municipality.

After a protracted legal battle, the Administrative Court finally ruled in 2010 to award the company approximately 44 million dirhams as compensation. This amount was determined based on the area of approximately 4.4 hectares on which the Benkirane neighborhood was constructed, equating to 1,100 dirhams per square meter. Additionally, the court granted an additional 2 million dirhams as compensation for the company’s deprivation of exploitation rights.

Charaf Immobilier’s Demand for the Expulsion of Houmt El Shouk Residents

Al Charaf Immobilier has recently filed an urgent petition before the Court of First Instance of Tangier, seeking the immediate eviction of the residents of Houmt El Chouk from their homes. The company claims that these residents have unlawfully occupied a property owned by Al Charaf Immobilier, emphasizing that no rental or purchase agreements bind them to the company. Upon inspecting the 14-hectare plot of land, registered under real estate tax (G/8125), the company found no legal basis for the residents’ occupation.

However, numerous citizens have come forward with legal documents proving their rightful ownership of homes and real estate in the aforementioned neighborhood. They are calling for urgent intervention to halt this unjust action, as they have received summonses to appear before the Court of First Instance.

In response to this unfair lawsuit, hundreds of residents have taken to the streets in protest, demanding protection for their property and refusing to abandon the homes they have cherished for decades, where they have raised their families.

The Moroccan people cannot remain silent in the face of the Makhzen regime’s complicity, which appears to facilitate the settlement of Zionists on Moroccan lands. It seems that the regime is willing to expel the true Moroccan landowners to achieve this goal. How much longer will the Moroccan people tolerate the violation of their rights and refrain from confronting the practices of Mohammed VI and his Makhzen regime? They witness firsthand the occupation of their land by Moroccan Zionists, reminiscent of the Zionist occupation of Palestine. Moreover, the King of Morocco’s willingness to sell land to Moroccan Zionists, even at the cost of displacing rightful landowners, raises serious concerns.

In light of recent events, one must question the naivety of the Moroccan people in persisting to wait and hope for Mohammed VI to take a stand in support of Palestine and defend the Palestinian people, particularly those residing in Gaza who face the oppressive occupation army. The government of the Zionist entity relentlessly pursues a systematic forced displacement scheme, aiming to drive these individuals away from their rightful lands. It is imperative to ask, when will the besieged and displaced Moroccan people take action?