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Doha – In a recent interview on the Kuwaiti podcast “Bidoon Waraq,” popular Jordanian YouTuber Joe Hattab revealed that he was pressured by Algerian authorities to remove a video documenting the friendly relations between the Moroccan and Algerian people.
The video, filmed during Hattab’s visit to Algeria in May 2023, featured interviews with locals in the border cities of Maghnia and Tlemcen, who spoke about their close ties with Moroccans and shared cultural heritage.
According to Hattab, the Algerian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates personally called him to express disapproval of the video, claiming it was “politically oriented.” The ambassador reportedly said, “We gave you the visa and trusted you. Why did you do this?”
Hattab explained that two particular scenes in the video had upset the Algerians.
In one scene, as he approached the border with Morocco alongside a group of Algerians, a Moroccan citizen on the other side waved and shouted, “Long live Algeria!” to which an Algerian responded, “Long live Morocco!”
The second scene featured traders in a popular market in Maghnia stating that they import spices and clay pots from Morocco.
Despite the video being well-received by both Moroccan and Algerian viewers, garnering 700,000 views and 70,000 likes within just three hours, Hattab faced a wave of insults and harassment on social media, allegedly instigated by a well-known Algerian politician.
Fearing for the safety of the Algerians who appeared in the video, Hattab decided to remove it from his YouTube channel a mere three hours after posting.
The Jordanian YouTuber, who has over 12 million subscribers, emphasized that his intention was to highlight the human aspect of the relationship between the two peoples, who share deep familial ties.
He noted that prior to posting, he had sent the video to young people he knew from both countries, including a famous Algerian content creator, all of whom praised it and gave their approval for its release.
Hattab expressed his surprise at the intensity of the backlash, stating that he had never experienced anything like it throughout his career, during which he has posted dozens of videos from various countries around the world.
He was forced to block Algerians from his Facebook page due to the sheer volume of insults and abuse he received.
In an Instagram post addressing the controversy, Hattab apologized for removing the video, clarifying that its purpose was to spread brotherhood, love, and understanding between the two nations.
He stressed that his trip was not sponsored by any entity and that he had entered the market in Maghnia to showcase the closeness of the two peoples and the exchange of goods between Algeria and Morocco.
Concluding his remarks, Hattab stated, “It’s true that I deleted the video, but I may re-publish it later, with the removal of what were considered sensitive clips.”
The incident has sparked a wide campaign of solidarity with Hattab across social media from Moroccan and Arab activists, who have condemned the attacks against him for simply documenting the realities on the ground and the undeniable cultural influence of Morocco on western Algeria.
Read also: Algerian YouTube Channels Spread Anti-Moroccan Propaganda
