Israel recognises Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara
Almost three years after the Abraham Accords, Israel takes a step to boost ties with Morocco, the most lukewarm of its new allies. Meanwhile, the Netanyahu government confirms work on a land bridge to UAE through Saudi Arabia.
Tel Aviv (AsiaNews) – When the Trump administration brokered the Abraham Accords in December 2020, it recognised Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, abandoning the Polisario Front. The quid pro quo was for Morocco to recognise Israel and for Israel to follow the US vis-à-vis Western Sahara.
Yesterday, the Netanyahu government did just that, officially recognising Morocco's sovereignty over the mostly desert strip between the Atlantic Ocean and Mauritania, claimed by both Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front and the Saharawi people after Spain gave up its former colony.
The territory is home to more than half a million people scattered over about 266,000 square kilometres (a bit less than Italy).
Yesterday, Morocco’s Foreign Ministry announced that King Mohammed VI received a letter from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, formally recognising Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara.
In Israel, the Prime Minister’s office confirmed the announcement. Rabat added that Israel is "positively examining" the possibility of opening of a consulate in Dakhla, the territory’s capital.
With this move, Israel has aligned itself with the United States, moving away from the position held by the United Nations, which considers the Polisario Front the legitimate representative of the Sahrawi people, which has their right to self-determination.
Polisario effectively controls 20 per cent of the territory and has its own government-in-exile in Tindouf, Algeria. It is a recognised member of the African Union, while the Arab League supports Morocco’s territorial claims.
Interesting detail: Polisario’s flag is very similar to that of Palestine, with the addition of a red crescent moon and star in the white band.
Netanyahu’s move can probably be seen as an attempt to breathe new life into the relationship with Morocco, the most lukewarm of Israel’s new “allies" under the Abraham Accords.
Despite repeated visits by Israeli diplomats to Rabat and even agreements on new military supplies, Rabat had not been soft in its criticism of Israel’s far-right government over the violence in Palestine.
To show its displeasure over the escalating violence in the West Bank, it gave up hosting a summit last month set to bring together the Arab countries that signed the Abraham Accords (United Arab Emirates and Bahrain) with Israel and the United States.
For his part, Netanyahu has played the diplomatic card to revive the Abraham Accords, while working on another relationship, that with Saudi Arabia.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry confirmed recently that work has started on a land bridge connecting Israel’s seaports to the United Arab Emirates through Saudi Arabia.
The United States is pushing hard for this, as it would save a lot of time compared to sea routes or even the current border crossing between Israel and Jordan. The timing of the project remains unclear.
To work, a land bridge would not in itself need the normalisation of diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia; for example, Israeli airliners are already allowed to use Saudi airspace.
However, relations between the two countries will likely need a major qualitative upgrade to manage the necessary security arrangements that such a land bridge will require.
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