The silence of the Arab regimes in the face of the barbaric Israeli attack on thousands of civilians in Gaza is a disgrace at best and a war crime at worst. Israel does what is good for Israelis, but I am not sure if Arab leaders do what is best for Arabs. But then, what can you expect from a bunch of unelected self-serving leaders? Once again the Palestinian people are paying a high price for the incompetence, indifference and impotence of some Arab and Palestinian leaders.

The current Moroccan constitution guarantees freedom of religion for all, but it designates Islam as the state religion. Missionary work is not allowed, but there are foreign missionaries in other roles seeking to spread their faith. Conversion from Islam is not a criminal offense in Morocco but new converts face social ostracism.
Any criticism of Islam is banned under the Penal Code and is punishable with up to five years in prison. Publications that could "threaten the fundamental institutional policies or religion of the kingdom" can also be banned.

To qualify Mr. Belkhadem , The Algerian Minister of State and General Secretary of the  FLN party, statement : "the Algerian people reached an agreement with one of the biggest colonial powers (France), and we accepted to hold self-determination referendum, then how could we oppose to such a solution for another people" of tasteless and insulting, is indeed, an understatement. The Algerian minister disrespect of the memories of millions of brave Algerian, Tunisian and Moroccan patriots who died fighting the French occupation in North Africa is a disgrace.

A mistrusted bicameral parliament is in place in Morocco and its members are supposedly elected every four years. The king is considered, according to the Moroccan constitution, the supreme political authority, head of the state, and religious authority (Amir Al Mouminin -Commander of the Faithful). He heads the army, and has the power to declare war and sign peace agreements. He also appoints the prime minister and other prominent people who serve in the government. Historically speaking, Morocco is considered to be one of the oldest states of the world, especially because of its existence and presence in international affairs as a political body for more than twelve centuries now.

The "Assembly of Dormants" is the nickname used by Moroccans to refer to their Parliament (Chamber of Representatives).  Since its establishment, the Moroccan Parliament and Parliamentarians have been the targets of jokes and sarcasm reflecting a wide cynicism of the average Moroccan toward an institution that is supposed to be at the heart of the fragile Moroccan "democratic" system. At the core of this popular attitude are two major factors, one is a flawed electoral system and the other is a pathetic political party landscape.

The humanitarian conditions of the civilian population in the "Western Sahara" refugee Camps in Tindouf Algeria are so dire, that making an immediate international humanitarian intervention necessary, according to international humanitarian organizations and to Sahrawis who were lucky to escape the Polisario-Algerian run encampments.  In 1976 and on behest of the Algerian military, the Polisario separatist movement lured thousands of Sahrawi nomads from their native lands in  what was then called Spanish Sahara, Mauritania, Algeria and Mali  to Tindouf, a Town in western Algeria,  where it continues to confine most of them against their will.

Located at the foot of the High Atlas Mountains, Aît Abbas is a tiny rural village in a province that counts just 11,000 inhabitants. Here, there is neither electricity nor running water, and life is harsh, the only distractions being a small café and a weekly market - when the road isn’t blocked with snow.
Most of the villagers here are non-existent in the eyes of the state: dozens of men and women without identity papers or family record books, and hundreds of children born without birth certificates.

Washington (Dec 10, 2008) -

Two students have succumbed to their injuries on Monday, Dec 2nd, in Agadir, Morocco, while a third is under observation in hospital after being crushed by a bus.
The victims were among a group of students that have taken over the Agadir bus terminal and demanded transportation to their city that same evening. Having failed to obtain satisfaction, the students set up a barricade in front of the bus station and tried to take over a bus by clinging to the windshield, as the driver maneuvered the bus out of the station, the bus hit a wall and crashed the students. Three students were seriously wounded and taken to a local hospital where two of them died of their injuries later in the evening.

Getting the full picture of any news story requires looking at the issue itself from different perspectives. With this said, it seems as if Al Jazeera TV is either not aware of this very simple idea or simply ignores that it applies to it too. I am saying this because I have spent the last 5 months watching the infamous news outlet trying to see what it is that makes it either so loved or so hated. Here, as a Moroccan, I talk about it from my own biased perspective. This bias, however, is at least based on a few items of evidence that can be easily checked.