Israel Urged to Recognize Morocco’s Territorial Integrity

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), an independent Israeli research center, has urged Israel to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara region with clarity and firmness. Dr. Yechiel Leiter., Director–General of the JCPA and a former senior government official– wrote on Thursday that Israel must strengthen the existing Abraham Accords, especially the one with Morocco, as it seeks new partners in Africa.
Leiter argued that Israel must act firmly in recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara. The author noted that the U.S., a key player in the Abraham Accords, has already recognized Morocco’s sovereignty over the region since December 2020.
Leiter asserted that Trump administration reversed decades of American policy that supported a U.N.-led referendum. Israel says that it is committed to recognize Moroccan sovereignty and promises to open a consulate in the region as part of the Abraham Accords; however, it has yet to do so.
The author praised the two countries’ growing economic and military collaboration, underlining its significant potential. Leiter, on the other hand, encouraged Israel to make additional efforts in this area.
The director of JCPA warned that Morocco shares an extensive border with Algeria, an Iranian ally that directly threatens the region by supporting the polisario. He claimed that if the polisario achieves its goals, it will become nothing more than an Algerian puppet state, acting as Iran’s armed appendage and extending its influence across Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Israeli government is urged to act rapidly in the interest of regional stability. The center insisted that the time is overdue to “fully recognize Morocco’s southern provinces as an integral component of the country,” in addition to backing its autonomy plan as the most pragmatic solution for settling the Sahara issue.