Algeria Interrupts Arab Summit over Statement Acknowledging Morocco’s Support for Palestine

Rabat – A top Algerian diplomat on Thursday interrupted, and threatened to leave, a meeting of Arab countries dedicated to the Palestinian cause after the meeting acknowledged efforts made in recent years by the Al-Quds Committee and its chairman, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI.

At the meeting, Algeria’s permanent representative to the UN, Mohamed Ennadir Larbaoui, interrupted proceedings and refused to take part in the unanimous declaration condemning the most recent transgression of Israel on Palestine.

The Algerian representative protested the meeting’s tone as speakers highlighted the efforts of King Mohammed VI as chairman of the Al-Quds Committee.

In an attempt to defuse the situation, the Pakistani presidency of the Group introduced a part highlighting Algeria and its president’s commitment to the Palestinian cause. But the move was not enough to appease the Algerian diplomat, according to reports. Read also:

The Algerian diplomat’s behavior sent a wave of shock among Arab-Muslim diplomats who were taking part in the same emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on the Palestinian issue, Morocco’s Press Agency (MAP) reported.

At the end of the meeting, Algeria refused to join other Arab countries in condemning the latest Israeli aggression against Palestinians that occurred when an Israeli minister trespassed into the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In addition to the Pakistani diplomats, the MAP report indicates, several Arab ambassadors tried to dissuade Algeria’s permanent representative to the UN from using the meeting as a stage to promote Algeria’s anti-Moroccan agenda.

Algeria’s refusal to join the unanimous action by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Group in condemning Israel’s “appalled” Arab diplomats, said the MAP report.

It explained: “Several diplomats have privately expressed their deep disapproval of the transposition in New York of Algeria’s problem with its Moroccan neighbor and the little respect that Algeria gives to its presidency of the Arab League Summit.”

This is not the first incident in which Algeria has chosen to push its anti-Morocco agenda during a meeting focused on the Palestinian issue.

In April 2021, Algeria stopped proceedings after attempting to stop a statement acknowledging Morocco’s efforts to defend the Palestinian cause.

In a meeting in Oman, the Arab ministerial commission issued a statement that mentioned the role Morocco’s King Mohamed VI is playing in promoting the Palestinian cause.

The meeting was brought to a halt by the Algerian representative when he noticed the paragraph acknowledging Morocco.

In particular, he interjected to call for the commission to include a second paragraph highlighting the Algerian president’s contribution to the Palestinian cause. After his request was overturned, Algeria announced it would not adopt the statement.