193: Kabylia's Declaration of Independence. As Jews around the world, we should care about this.

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As westerners, as Jews, as supporters of Israel, we should know more about the Kabyle people, the largest of North Africa’s indigenous Amazigh groups, part of the Berber people.

On December 14th 2025, Kabylia declared independence from Algeria.

With their own language, culture, and a centuries-long tradition of autonomy, the Kabyle have maintained a distinct identity despite repeated periods of foreign rule and the oppression which always follows.

Is there future at a turning point.

Rogue state Algeria has sharply escalated its repression of the Kabyle people’s political, cultural, and religious life with churches forcibly closed and leaders in civil society facing escalating intimidation. Many detained without due process, and political expression increasingly criminalized.

And now, in the midst of this pressure, Kabylia issued a Declaration of Independence.

They believe in Britain’s moral authority and so a delegation came to our parliament in London.

The delegation waited until the final hour to learn whether Paris-based President-in-Exile, Furhat Merhenni would receive his UK visa in time.

But he didn’t get it.

But the story moves forward.

To understand what this moment means for Kabylia, for Algeria, and for the region, I spoke Murad Amellal, Chief of Staff to President Merhenni and his Special Envoy.

In our conversation, he walks us through the stakes, the strategy, and the sentiment around the world as Kabylia approaches what he calls a defining chapter in its modern political journey.

But there are big questions:

* If the leadership isn’t physically there, what does a Declaration of Independence actually do in practice?

* With the President-in-Exile, what happens next?

* If the declaration were issued on Algerian soil, just how would Algeria move to suppress it?

* How does President Merhenni’s role compare to leaders in Israel’s early statehood? Who is Ben-Gurion, Begin or Herzl?

* And find out why the Kabyle people’s cultural, linguistic and religious background embrace western values not those of Islamic extremism.

All that—and more—in my rangy conversation with Murad Amellal.

Find all of my podcasts, TV appearances and writing at my ⁠Substack⁠.

Jonny Gould's Jewish State is supported by Dangoor Education and UK Toremet, promoting philanthropy.

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