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Rabat – The US has applauded Israel’s decision to recognize Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, describing the resumption of ties between Rabat and Tel Aviv as an important development and an “unequivocal positive” for the MENA region.
US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller made the remarks on Tuesday, one day following the Israeli government’s announcement of its recognition of Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Morocco’s royal cabinet announced Israel’s decision in an official statement, stressing that the Israeli government was also considering the opening of a consulate in the city of Dakhla in southern Morocco to further cement its support for Morocco’s territorial integrity.
“I would just say as a general matter the resumption of relations between Morocco and Israel has been an unequivocal positive for the region, and we look forward to working with these close U.S. partners to expand the circle of peace further,” Miller said, stressing that he had no further comments on the Israeli new position.
In response to the US position on the Western Sahara dispute, Miller recalled that the US took a similar step of recognizing Morocco’s sovereignty over its southern provinces in December of 2020.
“I would say that the policy was announced in December of 2020; it has not changed. I will say at the same time we fully support the UN Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General Staffan de Misrtura as he intensifies efforts to achieve an enduring and dignified political solution for Western Sahara,” he said.
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The statement comes as a setback to pro-Polisario advocates like Algeria’s regime – which have been lobbying since 2020 to push Biden to reverse the Trump-announced recognition.
Former US President Donald Trump recognized Morocco’s territorial integrity and sovereignty over Western Sahara on December 10, 2020, signing a proclamation that officialized Washington’s endorsement of Morocco’s Autonomy Plan as the only basis for a just and lasting solution to the decades-long dispute over the territory.
“The United States believes that an independent Sahrawi State is not a realistic option for resolving the conflict and that genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty is the only feasible solution,” the proclamation reads.
Last year in August, King Mohammed VI lauded the US proclamation in support of Morocco’s territorial integrity, stressing that this decision is the backbone of the improving Rabat-Washington relations.
