Algeria severed diplomatic relations with Morocco over alleged “hostile actions”, accusations the kingdom dismissed as “absurd”.
But after months of simmering tensions, what sparked the latest escalation between North African rivals?
What is the role of Israel?
Algiers has long been at odds with Rabat – particularly over Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony that Morocco considers an integral part of its territory, but where Algiers supported the Polisario independence movement.
Their rivalry took a new turn last year when outgoing US President Donald Trump recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the territory – in exchange for the normalization of Morocco’s relations with Israel.
For Algeria, it amounted to Rabat “to introduce a foreign military force in the Maghreb”, in the words of Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra on Tuesday.
Moreover, President Joe Biden’s administration has shown no sign of reversing Trump’s decision.
“It is disappointing for Algeria, which is mired in several major internal crises and has few tools to influence external events,” said Jalel Harchaoui, North Africa researcher at Global Initiative.
>> Look at Africa: Algeria breaks off diplomatic relations with “hostile” Morocco
So, when Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid took advantage of a visit to Rabat this month to express “concerns” about Algeria’s regional role and its “rapprochement with Iran”, Algerian officials were outraged.
“Never since (the founding of Israel) has a member of an Israeli government been heard to judge and send messages against an Arab state from the territory of another Arab state,” Lamamra said.
What triggered the crisis?
With ties already more strained than usual, comments from a Moroccan diplomat expressing support for the self-determination of the traditionally agitated Kabylia in Algeria earlier this month added fuel to the flames.
Last month, Algeria recalled its ambassador to Rabat for consultations after Omar Hilale’s remarks.
And when forest fires ravaged northern Algeria earlier this month, killing at least 90 people, authorities were quick to blame the independence movement in the predominantly Berber region – and accused Morocco of it. to support.
Algerian authorities have also accused the Movement for Self-Determination of Kabylia (MAK) of being involved in the lynching of a man falsely accused of arson during the recent forest fires, an incident that shocked Algerians.
They accused the MAK, which Algiers qualifies as a “terrorist organization”, of receiving “the support and assistance of foreign parties … from Morocco and the Zionist entity”, in reference to Israel.
The Paris-based MAK has dismissed the charges.
Critics say authorities have not prepared for the fires.
How did Morocco and Israel react?
In a statement released Tuesday, the Moroccan foreign ministry said Algiers’ decision was “totally unjustified” but “expected given the logic of escalation observed in recent weeks”.
Rabat added that the decision to cut the bridges was based on “false, even absurd pretexts”.
Tajeddine El Housseini, professor of international relations at the Mohammed V University in Rabat, described the Algerian justification for the rupture as “not serious”.
“Accusing Morocco of setting the Algerian forests on fire is just a joke!” he said.
As for Israel, a diplomatic official on Wednesday hailed the “very good” relations of the Jewish state with Morocco and dismissed the Algerian allegations as “unfounded”.
“Algeria should focus on its own problems, particularly serious economic problems (…) rather than trying to harm its neighbor and involve Israel in its disputes,” the official told the AFP.
(AFP)
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