Rabat – The Istiqlal Party and the National Rally of Independents (RNI) have welcomed Israel’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over the disputed Western Sahara region.
In its statement, the Istiqlal Party commended Israel’s move as a crucial step in supporting Morocco’s territorial integrity and over its southern provinces.
The party, the historical home of Moroccan nationalism, applauded the breakthrough Moroccan diplomacy has achieved in recent years on the question of Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces.
The RNI also lauded the decision, seeing it as an acknowledgment of the legitimacy of Morocco’s Western Sahara stance and the efforts the country has made over the past decade to develop its southern provinces beyond recognition in all sectors and incrementally convince countries in Africa and beyond of the historical, legal, social grounds for the Moroccanness of the region.
As well as describing the Israeli move as an additional, significant victory for Morocco’s increasingly effective Western Sahara diplomacy, the Istiqlal Party’s executive committee conveyed its satisfaction with Israel’s plan to open a consulate in the city of Dakhla.
The decision solidifies the rapidly developing diplomatic ties between Israel and Morocco and further cements the increasingly pro-Morocco momentum on the Western Sahara question, the party argued.
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More than 100 countries now either recognize Morocco’s sovereignty or embrace the country’s autonomy proposal for its southern provinces, the party said, emphasizing that this speaks of the increasingly irreversible support for Morocco’s territorial integrity within the international community.
Additionally, the party recognized King Mohamed VI’S efforts in preserving the legal, religious, and historical status of Al-Quds Al-Sharif (Jerusalem) and supporting its inhabitants through various development initiatives. They reiterated their commitment to supporting the Palestinian people’s struggle for freedom and advocating for the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
For its part, the political bureau of Morocco’s ruling party, the RNI, welcomed Israel’s decision and described it as a critical development in the incremental worldwide embrace of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the most realistic, credible, and serious solution to the Sahara dispute.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally informed King Mohammed VI of Israel’s decision through a letter on July 17, emphasizing the significance of the bilateral relationship between the two countries.
Since the reestablishment of diplomatic ties in December 2020, the two countries have repeatedly stressed their commitment to strengthen relations in a wide range of areas, including, economy, education, and research.
