• Published 02:28 06.04.10
  • Latest update 10:26 06.04.10

Netanyahu at Mimouna: We will continue developing in Jerusalem

Peres also attends Moroccan Jewish festival marking end of Passover, hails flourishing economy.

By Nir Hasson Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu Jewish holidays Israel news settlement building

Some two million Israeli Jews will participate today in Mimouna, the traditional Moroccan festival marking the end of Passover, according to the World Federation of Moroccan Jewry.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara celebrated Mimouna with the Fahima family in Or Akiva, where Netanyahu said "We will continue developing in the north and the south, and certainly in Jerusalem."

Federation chairman Sam Sheetrit said the group would like to see less of a focus on food as the central aspect of the holiday.

"We're bothered by how the celebration is reflected in the press - barbecues, belly dancing and wine drinking. All that reveling does not dignify Moroccan Jewry," he said.

Rather than the usual mass gathering at Sacher Park in Jerusalem, the festival's central event will be held at the Jerusalem International Convention Center, where a display on Moroccan Jewish culture will be featured.

The Mimouna celebration started yesterday in the capital with an event sponsored by Beyahad, the association of North African Jewry. President Shimon Peres attended the event as well as other dignitaries.

"This is the best Passover the Jewish people has ever known," Peres said. "Never before has their been so many Jews in Israel, nearly seven million Hebrew-speaking Jews. Never has there been such a flourishing economy and never has their been such security."

Israelis celebrating the traditional Moroccan festival of Mimouna.

Photo by: (Moti Kimchi)
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  • 42. 0 0
    9~ CJ The truth !
    • Akram Zekaria
    • 08.04.10
    • 20:36

    1948 is the year when the U.N divided this land between jews & palestinians. The jews accepted the land given to them & the palestinians together will all arab countries refused & opted to violence & destruction. They engaged the jews in all kind of violence, destructions & many wars; both in this land and in many arab countries & other countries; anywhere the jews lived ! Thieves & liars are those who miss represent history & those who caused all this mad destruction of properties & human lives. That mad rage of the palestinians-arab-islam against the jews cost many lives & properties etc. A range that cost trillions ! The Palestinians-Arabs & Muslims must pay for all that mad rage to the jews; not only to those who are living in this land but all the jews all over the world ! Now you know the truth & not like those who are keep living in lies ! Now you must make your own mind & clean yourself from dirty lies which is the bulk of your post !

  • 41. 0 0
    yaya #29 hear; hear: "if you want peaceful (s) go live on a farm
    • S
    • 07.04.10
    • 10:29

    Isn't that interesting? You propose to send me to a farm! So, yaya, you mean by that to show how courageous you are, and ready to fight the Pals... not wimpish and begging for peace like the sorry lot of us. The ladies must love you! You probably have a big mustache too...

  • 40. 0 0
    number one
    • sigal lit
    • 07.04.10
    • 10:16

    first of all Israel was never intended to be a palestinian state and nor is it the goal of israel to care for arab refugees when there are more than 50 moslem countries around them not to mention europe whose lands will be moslems according to population growth forecasts in 100 years rather than cry for the palestinians it would be good to remember what and who made Israel what it is today; a place of refuge for JEWS second of all an enlightened media that publishes every cynical and anti israel comment still does not contradict that israel is an achievement but the fact that Israel needs to explain why Jerusalem is A JEWISH CITY BUILT BY THE KINGS OF ISRAEL is sad ignorance=antisemitism=media mass pollution lets not forget the number one reason why Israel exists ; because no other place on the face of the planet let jews in and that is the only place jews belong as this is their historical homeland the palestinians are not the reason why israel was created , lets remember

  • 39. 0 0
    Dangerous coctail
    • Ruben
    • 07.04.10
    • 10:16

    With this idiotic right wing government in power and the left wing US administration, things are gonna get crazy.

  • 38. 0 0
    Israel living in peace By A dream come true..(how nice a response
    • James
    • 07.04.10
    • 00:59

    And you continue:It is wonderful to see that Jews are living in peace in Israel. Its safety is of concern for humanity and the dream is now coming true. I hope the Palestinians join in and organise their own State where one day they may live in safety. But if they don`t , well ultimately Israel won`t lose for that decision. Through all difficulties Israel shall overcome. And it is for the benefit of the wider human family that this should be the case. Israel hosts one of the oldest human cultures, we pray for its continued success. Well said and amen to those words of yours.

  • 37. 0 0
    Note, he says Jerusalem,not East Jerusalem? ...Silly Dino
    • Stephen
    • 06.04.10
    • 20:05

    Of course he would say just Jerusalem idiot. Because the WHOLE of Jerusalem is Jewish. You of course would put your version to the latter.Not so Dino think before you write such BS

  • 36. 0 0
    Colin - Can you Please Explain why You Say
    • Eli
    • 06.04.10
    • 18:48

    Pre 1967? thanks as much detail as you can would be great

  • 35. 0 0
    RE: jerusalem belongs to israel (#28)
    • Moshe
    • 06.04.10
    • 17:29

    Posted: "...most in israel would invite obama to mind his own business." Soon most of the Israelis will invite you and the rest of your settler friends to pack up and leave and go back to whatever rock you all crawled out from under.

  • 34. 0 0
    RE: netanyahu stop apologising (#31)
    • Moshe
    • 06.04.10
    • 17:25

    Posted: "netanyahu stop apologising and do not visit obama again." Agree. Netanyahu should only visit and speak with his one and only true friend...the devil himself. After all Netanyahu does the devil's work better than the devil himself.

  • 33. 0 0
    "Famous last words"...
    • zmogus
    • 06.04.10
    • 12:51

    "Never has there been such a flourishing economy and never has their been such security." -Peres "Tehran is preparing another Holocaust a la Germany in the Thirties", "Iran is seeking to obtain a nuclear weapon and constitutes the gravest threat to our existence since the war of independence" -Netanyahu Don't miss out the further news from the Wonderland...

  • 32. 0 0
    The good news is not in the title of this piece
    • sh
    • 06.04.10
    • 11:17

    so much as in the content. Moroccan Jewry has a glorious history. Time to give it a little more attention. Time to bury stereotyping and square with heritage. That'll make more space for squaring with our country's real recent history, including the recently re-outlawed Nakba.

  • 31. 0 0
    netanyahu stop apologising
    • shlomzion
    • 06.04.10
    • 10:12

    and do not visit obama again.

  • 30. 0 0
    s "central jerusalem"
    • yaya
    • 06.04.10
    • 10:10

    s you know so little.i presume you mean west jerusalem.say "central jerusalem" means very little indeed.buy a map.and then post here.

  • 29. 0 0
    s "does it sound peaceful"
    • yaya
    • 06.04.10
    • 10:08

    if you want peaceful s go live on a farm.

  • 28. 0 0
    jerusalem belongs to israel
    • shlomzion
    • 06.04.10
    • 10:07

    at last netanyahu has shown some gumption.i hope it last longer then the hamas rocket ceasefire. most in israel would invite obama to mind his own business.

  • 27. 0 0
    Who cares about peace?
    • Ari
    • 06.04.10
    • 10:07

    Who cares about peace and the future of our children when you can have fun building settlements that are illegal under international law in east Jerusalem and the West Bank?

  • 26. 0 0
    A dream come true?????
    • John Spear
    • 06.04.10
    • 10:00

    I don't think so! do you expect Binyamin Milikovsky (aka Bibi Netanyahu) to make peace? you must be spinning.

  • 25. 0 0
    Does it sound peaceful?
    • S
    • 06.04.10
    • 09:53

    After all, developing in, say central Jerusalem is no problem ... But that is not the impresion one gets when hearing "We will continue developing in Jerusalem"...

  • 24. 0 0
    Interesting turn of phrase
    • Colin Wright
    • 06.04.10
    • 09:45

    'We will continuing developing in the North and South, and certainly in Jerusalem.' Strictly speaking, quite unobjectionable. After all, Israel is welcome to continue to develop in Jerusalem -- the part she held before 1967, that is. I think he's agreed to something.

  • 23. 0 0
    Note, he says Jerusalem, not East-Jerusalem.....
    • Swiss (Dino)
    • 06.04.10
    • 09:44

    It's fair to assume that Netanyahu + Co. got the "message" from their American master, and this kind of rhetoric should only serve to calm the nerves of their supporters (right-wing and part of mainstream Israel/Diaspora)....

  • 22. 0 0
    Surely Netanyahu means...
    • John the American
    • 06.04.10
    • 09:19

    W. Jerusalem as today or tomorrow he will announce a 4 month freeze on building in E. Jerusalem. Either that or lose the US veto.

  • 21. 0 0
    Israel living in peace
    • A dream come true
    • 06.04.10
    • 09:02

    It is wonderful to see that Jews are living in peace in Israel. Its safety is of concern for humanity and the dream is now coming true. I hope the Palestinians join in and organise their own State where one day they may live in safety. But if they don't , well ultimately Israel won't lose for that decision. Through all difficulties Israel shall overcome. And it is for the benefit of the wider human family that this should be the case. Israel hosts one of the oldest human cultures, we pray for its continued success.

  • 20. 0 0
    Not a Voice for Peace
    • Vladek
    • 06.04.10
    • 08:46

    As we have known, Israeli leaders are not the voices for peace. Violent agression comes in many forms. Hamas may toss random, homemade missles towards Israel while Israel confiscates Palestinian homes, land and livelihoods. If Palestinians react feebly, Israel thrashes whole Palestinian families with a military machine that far exceeds the weaponry of any Arab nation. It becomes more apparent that the Palestinians are the oppressed and the Israelis are the unbridled military aggressor. Once upon a time I believed the Israeli claims of being under attack, but now I know Israel is a warrior state dedicated to expansionism and violence. This is truly a sad detour for a Judaic tradition that has claimed to be committed to truth and justice.

  • 19. 0 0
    PARTY!
    • Solovey Razboynik
    • 06.04.10
    • 08:38

    "...barbecues, belly dancing and wine drinking." WOO-HOO! Here I come, as soon as I can determine which of my ancestors are Moroccan!

  • 18. 0 0
    #3 You're dreaming, Akram
    • oops!
    • 06.04.10
    • 08:35

  • 17. 0 0
    It would be great if Israel continues developing West Jerusalem
    • Esther
    • 06.04.10
    • 08:14

    ... leave East J'lem largely to the Pals, since it belongs to them traditionally and by international concensus... ... by mutual consent, for the benefit of both partners, Israel can also be involved in some East J'lem development...

  • 16. 0 0
    "Let Them Eat Cake"
    • Avshalom Beni
    • 06.04.10
    • 08:00

    Everything is wonderful. The palace is overflowing with the bounties of life and we will erect a wall all around us so as not to see the suffering and misery and hatred we breed just a few kilometers away. And the Occupation will continue unnoticed, because it truly doesn't touch our minds or souls. This Occupation is corrupting us and killing us softly with its song, but we just can't hear the music. Well, Mr. Peres, once I found you inspiring. Today you look and sound like an aging Marie Antoinette.

  • 15. 0 0
    So let's see what that means.
    • Maureen Ann
    • 06.04.10
    • 07:48

    "We will continue developing in Jerusalem." Does that mean, more Palestinian home demolitions in East Jerusalem? More extrajudicial killings of Palestinians who try and protect their home - including Palestinian children who throw stones at Zionist demolition forces?

  • 14. 0 0
    HAHA!
    • Art
    • 06.04.10
    • 07:42

    Posts 1-4, you are all jealous of Israel....Why don't you losers do something useful with your time other then bash Israel.

  • 13. 0 0
    1 and 2
    • David
    • 06.04.10
    • 07:38

    our capitol and we WILL build in it.... like the amercans build in DC and that stolen land call california, texas and new mexico. the refugees were offered 97 percent of the west bank with land swaps and said "NO!!!" They do not want peace but our death... but that makes anti semites like you happy

  • 12. 0 0
    Darth Zaider- 4
    • David
    • 06.04.10
    • 07:36

    are you being sarcastic? or are you wearing a pointy white hat?

  • 11. 0 0
    Now it is easy to see
    • John The American
    • 06.04.10
    • 07:16

    Israel is delegitimizing itself. It is only a matter of time before the world takes action.

  • 10. 0 0
    #3 mass delusion
    • Naomi
    • 06.04.10
    • 07:15

    With 6 million jews slaughtered, 2000 years of exile, 300 years of egyptian slavery, daily inhumane crimes committed against palestinians --- please explain what about "living" the world needs to learn from the jews. If you can't do that, there is always the easier way of calling everyone "anti-semite".

  • 9. 0 0
    Akram Zekaria Learn from the Jews, sure we have much folk could
    • CJ
    • 06.04.10
    • 07:13

    learn from However, we Jews' aren't all Israeli's and Israeli's aren't all Jews and ISRAEL has much to learn from other folk, even Jews. For example. It's against our basic tenets to cheat lie and steal (illegally acquire other folk's territories). It's against INTERNATIONAL LAW to keep building in Jerusalem. It's against International Law to illegally annex. It's against International Law to acquire territory by force. Israel gave the world a solemn oath when we were given our homeland state. It was an oath sworn in the name of ALL Jews. The world was informed of that oath and granted us recognition by it.... http://wp.me/PDB7k-Y#look Bibi and the illegal settlers and those who justify current Israeli policies are a disgrace to Judaism. A disgrace to all honest Jewish folk, wherever they might be. If Israel's oath is not binding, how can it profess to be the 'Jewish State'?

  • 8. 0 0
    you must get a lot of hate mail
    • Amalek
    • 06.04.10
    • 06:55

    hope you all die soon

  • 7. 0 0
    Jewish bond to Jerusalem is the biggest obstacle to the world's
    • Meo
    • 06.04.10
    • 06:40

    attempt to steal the city and give it to Muslims in a gesture of world submissison. what do you expect when army of 50 millions Turkish Muslims are ready to enter Europe?

  • 6. 0 0
    antisemitic minds
    • Wizardman
    • 06.04.10
    • 06:33

    "The best anti-Semitic minds world-wide are asking themselves this question: how is it possible that things were allowed to spin so far out of control ??? " Indeed. And some of the best antisemetic minds are allowed to post right here on Haaretz.

  • 5. 0 0
    The old man misspoke: only 5.7 mln Hebrew speaking Jews
    • Darth Zaider (Ed)
    • 06.04.10
    • 06:07

    in Israel and 7.5 mln. total including 1.5 mln. Israeli Arabs. His message is still correct as the world?s Jewry and the Israeli Jews have never been in a better position socially, economically or militarily in the course of 2,000 years of history much to the chagrin of those who wish it weren?t so. The best anti-Semitic minds world-wide are asking themselves this question: how is it possible that things were allowed to spin so far out of control ??? Anti-Semites of the world: UNITE!

  • 4. 0 0
    Jews living in the Jewish State ...
    • Akram Zekaria
    • 06.04.10
    • 05:38

    ...and ready to defend themselves; is all that we need. "We will continue developing in Jerusalem" that is all we want to hear and see. Israe is in peace with itself that what makes life beautiful. The Jewish State is beyond destruction ! That is the dream realized & the purpose of all our strategies ! Let the world learn from from the jews; how life should be !

  • 3. 0 0
    Let the celebrations begin! L'chaim!
    • Solovey Razboynik
    • 06.04.10
    • 05:13

    "barbecues, belly dancing and wine drinking." Woo-hoo! Sounds good to me. I'll be right there as soon as I figure out which of my ancestors are Moroccan!

  • 2. 0 0
    Everything is great no need for peace or US relations
    • John
    • 06.04.10
    • 04:17

    As long as things are good who needs Palestinians? Or even good relations with the rest of the World. Consistent with a man who for the last 60 yes has been responsible for the place in the world Israel finds itself in. Delusional old man

  • 1. 0 0
    famous last words
    • Nathan Keppler
    • 06.04.10
    • 04:15

    "Never has there been such a flourishing economy and never has their been such security."