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Israel has recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara. This is expected to add momentum to Morocco’s move to solidify its claim on the region
Israel has recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara. This is expected to add momentum to Morocco’s move to solidify its claim on the region.
Recently, Morocco’s Royal Palace said that Israel had stated their position on the matter in a letter sent by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. Israel confirmed this in a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office. The territory of Western Sahara was formerly a Spanish colony. It was annexed by Morocco in 1975.
The United Nations has listed it as Non-Self-Governing Territory. Morocco claims the territory as its own but the Western Sahara’s indigenous Sahrawi people, led by the Algeria-backed Polisario Front want an independent state. Israel’s decision comes amidst an increased rivalry between Morocco and Algeria, the two neighbouring countries that have broken off diplomatic relations in 2021. It may be recalled that the US recognised Morocco’s claim to the territory in 2020 on condition of a resumption of diplomatic ties between Morocco and Israel. The two countries normalised relations in December 2020, as part of the Abraham Accords, a process that involved Israel and several Arab countries.
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Since then, Morocco and Israel have signed a number of cooperation agreements, including a defence pact. A senior Moroccan government official underlined that Israel’s recognition would not affect Morocco’s support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The decision is expected to encourage investments in the territory.
