You're right. I was in Morocco three years ago (Tangier) and it was not unusual to see a Catholic church within sight of a Jewish synagogue which was across the street from a mosque. Morocco has long been much closer to the West than other Muslim countries and more tolerant of various religions.
Their constitution actually mandates tolerance for all mono-theistic religions. I guess Hindus are out, but most others are apparently OK. While I was there I never felt threatened but I did notice that security around our group was pretty tight. There had been a bombing in Casablanca a year or two before and had been other low-level rumblings of Islamist sympathy in the country so I think they were beginning to watch for it more diligently. However, everyone I talked to seemed genuinely warm and friendly. Though they are primarily Muslim they are not Arabs, they are Berbers, and as such have a different identity and traditions.
There is a large mansion in Tangier that belonged to Malcolm Forbes when he was alive. Tangier also is home to the American School, which has existed there for over 60 years and is designed to provide Moroccans with a Western-style education. Credits there are recognized by most U.S, Canadian, and European colleges and universities. A local college professer there told us that Moroccan students are required to learn at least one foreign language and that most choose English as it is considered the language of business. This same professor, upon hearing my wife ask where she could buy some fresh-baked bread that we had seen them baking, said "You want bread? Just a minute." He disappeared down the street and returned a couple of minutes later with a fresh loaf. When my wife asked him how much she owed him he refused to take anything from us saying, "No no no. It's just bread!" That type of hospitality was common during our visit.
Morocco is a fascinating country that has so far managed to somehow avoid being sucked into the bottomless pit of Islamic fanaticism. It would be a tragedy to see it fall as the others have, but I am not too optimistic that it won't happen eventually.
I find Morocco especially fascinating. As you say, the links to Europe run deep, back to the corsair days of the “Sale Raiders” and so on. Then the Moriscos were expelled from Spain and resettled in Morocco, making another very deep connection.
My next novel is going to be set there, for many of the reasons explained on this thread, the place is just a treasure trove of cultural conflicts and cross currents. The Berber/Arab split you mentioned. The King’s wife is a Berber who looks Irish, and makes a point of being seen with long flowing hair. Since the King is considered in the direct line to Mohammed, it’s hard for the sharia lunatics to condemn this!
Heck, the King is also a yachtsman and SURFER, and has really led Morocco well in my Western opinion. Of course, to the sharia maniacs, he is a traitor to islam. But he has the military and business classes and most of the people firmly on his side. I sure hope that the sane Moroccans can resist the shariah nuts. What a terrible waste of a people and a great country.
As I mentioned up thread, Morocco is within 10% of California in coastline, mountains, prime agro area, and population. It could be a great wonder of the world. It has everything: fisheries, minerals, you name it. Only one thing holds it back: islam.