Rabat – Salah Goudjil, President of Algeria’s Senate said the visit of Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz to Morocco is targeting his country.
Benny Gantz arrived in Morocco on Wednesday, in an official visit that marked the signing of a defense cooperation agreement between Tel Aviv and Rabat.
The visit did not go unnoticed by Algerian media, which criticized Gantz’ arrival to Morocco with strongly worded accusations and allegations backed by the Algerian regime.
Goudjil described Morocco and Israel as Algeria’s enemies, who are “mobilizing more and more to harm Algeria.”
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He added that “things are clear with the visit of the Minister of Defense of the Zionist entity to Morocco.”
“If this visit had been that of the Minister of Tourism or the Economy of the Zionist entity, it could have been interpreted as coming within the framework of relations already in place, although concealed, between this country (Morocco) and the Zionist entity, but when it comes to the visit of the Minister of Defense of this entity to Morocco, it is Algeria that is targeted,” Goudjil claimed.
Goudjil’s statement also included various references to Algerian hostility toward Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over Western Sahara.
“Our position remains unchanged concerning Western Sahara,” he said to back Polisario’s independence claims.
This is not the first time Algeria’s regime shares similar rhetoric against Morocco. After Morocco’s decision to re-establish relations with Israel, the Algerian regime criticized the North African country and accused both countries of “undermining” Algeria’s stability.
The latest accusation came just a few months ago, when the Algerian regime claimed Morocco and Israel collided to ignite fires in the Kabylia region amid a wave of wildfires that hit several countries around the Mediterranean.
Morocco’s government has shown restraint against similar statements after its response to Algiers’ decision to cut ties with Rabat. In August, Algeria’s regime announced its decision, backing its announcement with claims that Morocco was involved in the forest fires.
Morocco released one statement regarding the accusations, describing them as “unfounded” and baseless accusations. The government also emphasized that it will continue to remain a loyal and credible partner for Algerian people, regretting the country’s decision to sever ties with Rabat.
