Israel recognizes Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara

Breaking

Adam Lucente

Jul 17, 2023

Israeli and Moroccan flags are pictured during an official ceremony in Israel's Mediterranean coastal city of Tel Aviv, on September 13, 2022. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images) — Israeli and Moroccan flags are pictured during an official ceremony in Israel's Mediterranean coastal city of Tel Aviv, on Sept. 13, 2022. — JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Israel has recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, the Moroccan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Monday, in what constitutes a major victory for Rabat in its pursuit of outside recognition for the contested area.

The ministry said on Twitter that Israel has decided to "recognize the sovereignty of Morocco over the lands of Western Sahara."

Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until the mid-1970s. A 1991 cease-fire agreement saw Rabat lay claim to 80% of Western Sahara, with the rest being held by the Algiers-backed Polisario movement.

🔴توصل صاحب الجلالة الملك محمد السادس، نصره الله، برسالة من الوزير الأول لدولة إسرائيل فخامة السيد بنيامين نتنياهو. ومن خلال هذه الرسالة، رفع الوزير الأول الإسرائيلي إلى العلم السامي لصاحب الجلالة، نصره الله، قرار دولة إسرائيل "الاعتراف بسيادة المغرب على أراضي الصحراء الغربية". pic.twitter.com/Ji1Su1Ti7M
— الدبلوماسية المغربية 🇲🇦 (@MarocDiplo_AR) July 17, 2023