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What if Allal El Fassi indeed offered Mohamed El Khattabi to become a king of Morocco ? This is at least what Moroccan historian Zaki Moubarak said in his memoirs published by the daily newspaper, Al Massae. The author of this account is also specialized in the National Liberation Army and the Rif War.
The Moroccan historian had already stated in previous occasions that «he owns a series of documents on the National Liberation Army» resistant Abdellah Senhadji had given him in 1969 while he was still studying in France. Part of this treasure was in the heart of Moubarak’s PhD thesis published in 1973 entitled «les mouvements d’opposition au Maroc issue de la Résistance et l’Armée de libération».
El Khattabi rejected El Fassi’s proposal
The Istiqlal Party’s founder was, according to Moubarak, only a messenger sent by the French. In the early 1950s, the Protectorate was intending to dethrone Sultan Mohammed ben Youssef and was looking for a substitute who is charismatic and well liked to ascend the throne. And as El Khattabi was known for his courageous guerilla during the Anoual battle, Allal El Fassi had allegedly offered to divide the country between France and El Khattabi all while getting rid of the monarch. However, this proposal was rejected by the Riffian leader.
It must be noted that at the time, El Khattabi had other ambitions that went beyond the borders of the country. In January 1948, he created while in Cairo the «Arab Maghreb Liberation Committee». On the 5th of March 1949, he wrote a report entitled «Plan of the Liberation War». Consulting the Tunisians, Algerians and Moroccans he was preparing the launch at the same time of an armed operation targeting the French in the three countries.
It is difficult to ascertain the truth of what Zaki Moubarak has declared, although he claims that he relied on the account of Mohamed Salam Meziane, the private assistant of Mohamed Ben Abdelkarim El Khattabi. A man who was very close to the Emir during his years of exile in Egypt. His relationship with El Khattabi allowed him to know the content of the letters sent to him by the leaders of the Maghreb Liberation Army.
Zaki Moubarak said that his account was written by the Riffian leader while he was still alive but his family refuses to publish it.
