Leon Benzaquen

[5] When Morocco received its independence in 1956, the Jewish community held quite a few respectable political positions, including three parliamentarian seats and one cabinet post as mail and telegraph minister.

[3][6] Upon receiving its independence in 1956, the Sultan insisted upon the appointment of Leon Benzaquen, while the Jewish community was unable to reach a consensus on whom to send as a representative to the cabinet.

coincident with his appointment Benzaquen expressed his favor opinion on the Jewish right to emigrate, pending it will not include pressure or propaganda.

[4] The prevailing view is that Benzaquen remained neutral during the Morocco's struggle for independence, due to an internal Jewish struggle among Jewish-Moroccan modernists, graduates of AIU, Zionists, and traditionalists (In 1944, he refused to sign the first Independence Manifesto of the "Istiqlal" group, who opposed the occupation but also the kingdom).

[2] Despite this gesture of good will towards the Jewish-Moroccan community, in appointing Leon Benzaquen to a ministerial post, Benzaquen did not survive in occupying the post when there was a government reshuffle for the first time in Morocco since it received its independence, and Jews in Morocco were no longer appointed to the cabinet[4][6] (until the '80s).