The Sahara occidental represents the epicenter of a regional rivalry where the interests of the Morocco and of Algeria for almost fifty years. This former Spanish colony, claimed by Rabat as an integral part of its territory since 1975, crystallizes tensions between these two Maghreb powers. Algeria actively supports the Front Polisario and its project of self-determination, while the Morocco proposes a plan for autonomy under its sovereignty. This confrontation goes beyond the strictly territorial framework to become a regional leadership issue, attracting the attention and involvement of numerous international actors.
The reconfiguration of regional alliances
Recognition by Israel of Moroccan sovereignty over the Sahara occidentalformalized in July 2023, upsets the diplomatic balances in the Maghreb. This decision, ardently defended by Yechiel ladder even before its application, illustrates the Israeli strategy of anchoring itself in the region. The appointment of this conservative rabbi as new ambassador to Washington, a few months before the inauguration of Donald Trump scheduled for January 2025, reinforces this diplomatic orientation. His profile, marked by a proximity to the Republican Party and a strong conviction on the Saharan question, testifies to a calculated positioning in the regional game of influences.
A new diplomatic architecture
The emergence of a diplomatic axis structured around Accords d’Abraham redraws the map of influences in the Maghreb. The ambassadors of Morocco, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain coordinate their actions in Washington, in particular via the Abraham Accord Caucus. This bipartisan body in the American Congress constitutes a major strategic lever. The presence of Leiterthrough its connections with the Republicans and its assertive position on the Sahara, could accentuate the diplomatic isolation of Algeria on this file. This dynamic gradually transforms a territorial conflict into a marker of new Middle Eastern alliances, where the Saharan question becomes an instrument of geopolitical realignment.
Canada
