Operation Yachin

Operation Yachin was an operation led by Israel's Mossad in coordination with the Moroccan state to bring Moroccan Jews to Israel between November 1961 and spring 1964. Prior to Operation Yachin, emigration had taken place with the help of the Mossad and Jewish Agency, but discouraged by the Moroccan government. The Mossad utilized much of the infrastructure from the aliyah operations of the 1950s to bring Jews to Israel with the permission of Hassan Il. From the time of Moroccan independence in 1956 to 1961 some 29,400 Jews had been brought to Israel. Alex Gatmon of the Mossad, who was assisted by the Jewish Agency, negotiated with representatives of Hassan to work out an emigration policy with support from the Moroccan monarchy. This helped to boost Israel's population growth which was considered necessary for its survival. In the arrangement worked out with Hassan II, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS), an American organization, paid Morocco a per capita fee for every Moroccan Jew who migrated to Israel. About 90,000 to 97,000 Moroccan Jews left for Israel by plane and ship from Casablanca and Tangier via France and Italy. The impetus for the operation was the desire to preserve and expand the state of Israel but also fear of repression in the era of Moroccan nationalism and wider Arab opposition to Israel. According to Israeli government official Moshe Yuval, annihilation was not anticipated for the Jews in Morocco, but the country was basically antisemitic. In his view, Jews and Muslims could not coexist and emigration was the only choice. This was backed up by news stories about the dangers that lay in store for Moroccan Jews in a post-independent Morocco. This threat was not entirely unsubstantiated. Historian Michael Laskier also notes instances of discrimination and propaganda in the press, with Moroccan...