Hassan II

thumb|Hassan II Hassan II (Arabic: الحسن الثاني, romanised: al-Ḥasan aṯ-ṯhānī; 9 July 1929 – 23 July 1999) was King of Morocco from 1961 until he died in 1999. A member of the Alawi dynasty, he was the eldest son of King Mohammed V and his second wife, Princess Abla bint Tahar. He was named crown prince in 1957 and was the first commander-in-chief of the Royal Armed Forces. He was enthroned as king in 1961 following his father's death. His reign was marked by the start of the Western Sahara conflict and the Sand War, as well as two failed coup attempts against him in 1971 and 1972. Quotes The last sign and hint from me was during an interview I gave in Marrakesh with Jean Daniel of Le Nouvel Observateur. I said that I am surprised that, until now, no Arab leader has met with an Israeli official, because we are not fighting a phantom or an illusory enemy, but rather we are fighting a real enemy who is occupying our territories and whose arrogance is constantly increasing, and who pretends to ignore that it is living on occupied territory, and that it is building on that land as if it had inherited it from its ancestors. I said: hasn't the time come for an Arab leader to meet an Israeli leader in order to learn about his position directly and not through mediators with all due respect and appreciation for mediators, be they North Americans, Europeans, Latin Americans of Soviets. After all, I believe there is nothing better than direct dialogue. I had hoped that following this declaration there would be some reaction from some Arab states, at least. But I have neither seen nor heard any criticism or reaction. I believed four years ago, when I told you this and clarified all of these fine points, that you had knowledge and understanding, and indeed you did understand since you are intelligent people, while certain people did not understand anything of the first hints nor understand anything of the first hints nor the second, nor even the third ones. https://jewishvirtuallibrary.org/address-to-the-moroccan-people-by-king-hassan-ii I wish Casablanca to be endowed with a large, fine building of which it can be proud until the end of time ... I want to build this mosque on the water, because God's throne is on the water. Therefore, the faithful who go there to pray, to praise the creator on firm soil, can contemplate God's sky and ocean. https://web.archive.org/web/20121005052807/http://www.sacred-destinations.com/morocco/casablanca-hassan-ii-mosque