Israel has decided to "recognise Morocco's sovereignty" over the disputed Western Sahara region, the royal office in Rabat announced Monday, July 17, 2023, citing a letter from the Israeli prime minister.
According to the letter, Benjamin Netanyahu informed Morocco's King Mohammed VI of "the State of Israel's decision to recognise Morocco's sovereignty" over the mineral-rich desert region, the royal office said in a statement.
Netanyahu said in the letter that Israel is examining the "opening of a consulate in the town of Dakhla", located in the Moroccan part of Western Sahara, a move long demanded by Rabat. Israel confirmed the contents of the statement from Morocco.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen said Netanyahu's announcement would "strengthen the relations between the states and peoples, as well as the continued cooperation to enhance peace and regional stability".
The Western Sahara dispute dates back to 1975, when colonial ruler Spain withdrew from the territory, sparking a 15-year war between Morocco and the Polisario Front movement seeking independence in the territory.
Rabat controls nearly 80 percent of Western Sahara and sees the entire region, home to abundant phosphates and fisheries, as its sovereign territory.
Rabat advocates for limited autonomy for the vast desert territory while the Algeria-backed Polisario seeks independence and has called for a UN-supervised referendum on self-determination, but it has never taken place.
Since late 2020, the Polisario says it has been in "a war of legitimate defence" and has declared the entire Western Sahara, including its land, sea and airspace, a "war zone".
Israel's decision to recognise Rabat's sovereignty over Western Sahara comes at a time of heightened rivalry between Morocco and Algeria, after the two North African neighbours severed their diplomatic relations.
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