Answer to a Question
Question: In recent times, tension has increased in the relations between Algeria and Morocco. Algeria has leveled accusations against Morocco regarding the starting of forest fires and supporting separatist movements, leading to the severance of diplomatic relations and the closure of borders. Algeria also announced it would not renew the contract for the natural gas pipeline to Spain via Morocco and accused it of causing the deaths of three Algerians. What are the reasons for this escalating tension, even though both are loyal to the same side, "Britain"? What is expected from this escalation? Can matters escalate into war, or will they return to calm once again? Thank you.
Answer: To understand the situation, let us review the relations between Algeria and Morocco, through which the answers to these questions will become clear:
Allah blessed the lands of the Maghreb with Islam in the first century of the Hijra. Its noble people entered Islam voluntarily, carried its banner, and performed Jihad in its path. Their lands became provinces within the Khilafah (Caliphate) state. The colonialists occupied these lands when they sensed the weakness of the Khilafah state. The French occupied Algeria in 1830 CE and declared it a part of France, but the people rose and resisted the occupying colonialists. The colonialists used all forms of brutality and torture, killing millions of Algerians in an attempt to "Frenchify" them and strip them of their Islamic identity, but they failed. They left humiliated and defeated in 1962 CE. During the struggle, the Mujahideen received support from the people of Morocco. As for Morocco, the French imposed their control over it under the "Treaty of Fez" (French Protectorate) from 1912 CE until 1956 CE, establishing a Western-style monarchy linked to the colonialist.
After the French colonialist left Algeria, its president, Ahmed Ben Bella, became linked to America, which supported him via the Egyptian regime during the era of Abdul Nasser. This support for the revolutionaries was aimed at securing American influence in Algeria, effectively replacing one colonialist with another. In 1963 CE, clashes occurred between Algeria and Morocco, known as the "Sand War." On the surface, it was a border dispute, but it was an act of colonial conflict because the Algerian regime under Ben Bella followed America, while Morocco had followed Britain since Hassan II took power in 1961 CE. Thus, the agents fight one another for the sake of the colonial states they serve, without feeling shame before Allah, His Messenger, or the believers.
However, Britain, through Hassan II of Morocco, cooked up a coup and brought its agent, Houari Boumediene, to power, toppling the American agent Ahmed Ben Bella in 1965 CE. Relations between Algeria and Morocco then became good. Once Britain ensured Algeria's loyalty under Boumediene—similar to its loyalty in Morocco—the two countries signed a border demarcation and good neighbor treaty in two stages in 1969 and 1972 CE. The border dispute stopped, and they both affirmed the maintenance of the national state as intended by the colonialist. However, in 1976 CE, Morocco severed relations with Algeria in protest of the latter's recognition of the Polisario Front, which America was behind establishing. Although the Algerian regime, like the Moroccan regime, followed Britain, Britain wanted Algeria to embrace the Polisario to keep it under surveillance and confine it to camps and a small area. This was to prevent it from establishing a state in the Moroccan Sahara for the benefit of America, thereby protecting its agents in Morocco and maintaining its influence there.
Later, the Arab Maghreb Union was established between Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia in 1989 CE. One of its clauses was "preserving the independence of each member state." As a prelude to this agreement, the restoration of diplomatic relations and normalization between the Algerian and Moroccan regimes was announced in 1988 CE. This included Morocco's consent for Algeria to continue hosting the Polisario Front to achieve the required purpose: preventing America from establishing a state in the Western Moroccan Sahara and preventing the overthrow of the Moroccan regime. However, Britain was unable to implement its project of the Arab Maghreb Union or other projects due to growing American influence in the region and America's international dominance, which allowed it to obstruct British projects.
At the end of 1991 CE, elections were held in Algeria. The people of Algeria were given the opportunity to express their opinion and their bias toward their religion and their desire to be ruled by Islam. The Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) won about 82% of the votes. Consequently, the secular army leaders—especially those educated in French culture—carried out a coup against President Chadli Bendjedid, who had allowed the front to enter the elections, forcing him to resign in early 1992 CE. The coup leaders began committing massacres against the people of Algeria who rejected the coup and were stripped of their right to rule their country according to their true religion. The loyalty of the Algerian regime almost shifted to France, had Britain not exploited the massacres to return its agent, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, to the presidency in 1999 CE. In exchange, the former coup leaders kept their positions and were not prosecuted. Thus, Algeria returned to the British fold, and Bouteflika began his duties by working to normalize relations with Morocco. Bouteflika visited Morocco to participate in the funeral of Hassan II in 1999 CE, and the new King, Mohammed VI, followed his father’s path of loyalty to Britain. Signs of improvement in relations appeared in 2005 CE, as the two regimes drew closer in the service of Britain, which holds the loyalty of both countries, playing roles dictated by Britain for its primary interest.
This situation continued until sensitive internal circumstances arose in both countries, exposing the reality of the rulers. This necessitated the creation of external problems between them to distract the people and divert their attention from internal conditions. Thus, this manufactured dispute and hot tension were orchestrated. By reflecting on these circumstances, the following becomes clear:
a- The situation in Algeria has not calmed down but has remained unstable since the outbreak of the Hirak in 2019 CE. Despite new presidential and legislative elections and constitutional amendments, internal tension remains high. This has put continuous pressure on the new regime. Therefore, the regime needed to manufacture external tensions, particularly with Morocco, to divert public attention. Furthermore, Algeria seeks, through this escalation, to regain some of its regional standing, which has declined due to internal instability.
b- As for Morocco, its internal situation is even more urgent. It needs to divert the Moroccan people’s attention away from its normalization of relations with the Jewish state established on the occupied blessed land of Palestine. These relations have taken a turn toward intimacy and submission to the Jews, who are the most hostile toward Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. The Moroccan regime has gone too far in strengthening its relationship with the Jewish entity in all fields. The Ministry of Defense of the Jewish entity stated: ("Gantz, the Jewish Defense Minister, and the Moroccan Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of National Defense, Abdellatif Loudiyi, signed a defense memorandum of understanding... The agreement provides a solid framework that formalizes defense relations between the two countries and lays a foundation supporting any future cooperation... The agreement will enable defense institutions in both countries to enjoy increased cooperation in the fields of intelligence, industrial cooperation, military training, and more..." Times of Israel, 24/11/2021). The Moroccan regime justifies this humiliation by claiming it was in exchange for Trump’s America recognizing Moroccan autonomy over Western Sahara: ("Today I signed a proclamation recognizing Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. Morocco's serious and realistic autonomy proposal is the only basis for a just and lasting solution for enduring peace and prosperity!" Assahifa, 10/12/2020). This is a refuted argument and an excuse worse than the sin itself. Consequently, Morocco also needed to manufacture external problems, especially with Algeria, to divert attention from its disgrace and submission to the Jewish entity.
Thus, events began to flare up inconsistently, but the important thing for both regimes is to keep eyes off the internal situation and the sins and crimes they commit through their subservience to the colonialist Kafir (disbelieving) West. By reviewing some of these events, the following becomes clear:
- The Algerian Foreign Ministry summoned the Moroccan ambassador to protest the Moroccan consul in Oran describing Algeria as an "enemy country" in May 2020. The consul was declared persona non grata.
- On 13/11/2020, near the Guerguerat border area, the Moroccan army expelled a group of Sahrawi protesters who had blocked the passage of passengers through this border post with Mauritania. Later, Algeria demanded the withdrawal of Moroccan forces.
- On 15/07/2021, the Moroccan ambassador to the UN called for the independence of the Kabyle people in Algeria. Algeria summoned its ambassador to Morocco for consultations. On 23/07/2021, Algeria claimed Morocco used the Jewish Pegasus spyware against its officials, while Morocco denied the claim.
- Since the formation of the new Algerian government led by Ayman Benabderrahmane in July 2021, Algerian foreign policy has shown escalatory positions toward Morocco. Morocco was accused of involvement in the forest fires in the north and supporting two separatist organizations.
- The Foreign Minister of the Jewish entity visited Morocco, and from there, on 11/08/2021, he accused Algeria of inciting against his entity and drawing closer to Iran, which increased tensions between Algeria and Morocco.
- On 24/08/2021, Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra announced the severance of relations with Morocco. He said, "It has been historically proven that the Kingdom of Morocco has never stopped carrying out unfriendly, hostile, and base acts against our country since the independence of Algeria in 1962" (AFP, 24/08/2021). On 22/09/2021, Algeria closed its airspace to all Moroccan military and civilian aircraft.
- The Algerian News Agency broadcast on 31/10/2021 that "President Abdelmadjid Tebboune ordered the national company Sonatrach to stop the commercial relationship with Morocco and not to renew the contract for the natural gas pipeline to Spain via Morocco, which expires at midnight on October 31, 2021," justifying this by "the aggressive practices of the Kingdom of Morocco toward Algeria."
- Immediately after the Algerian announcement, the Moroccan National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water stated that "the decision... will currently have only a slight effect on the performance of the national electrical system... and that Morocco is studying other options for sustainable alternatives in the medium and long term" (BBC, 31/10/2021).
- The Algerian Presidency announced on 03/11/2021 its accusation against Morocco of killing three Algerian drivers by targeting commercial trucks traveling between the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, and the city of Ouargla in southern Algeria. Algeria warned that this "will not go unpunished" (Deutsche Welle, 03/11/2021), while Morocco denied it.
Anyone scrutinizing these events and their declared consequences can see that far worse things happen between countries and are resolved through negotiations, not by severing ties and stopping trucks, planes, and even gas! This is only done when the goal is to manufacture a problem to divert attention from internal crimes. This is especially true since both regimes are loyal to one colonialist, Britain, which pushes them to play different roles for its benefit. For this reason, despite these differences, their positions regarding regional issues in North Africa—whether in Libya or Tunisia—have been united. No differences have appeared between them regarding regional issues there; they differ here and agree there according to the roles dictated to them by Britain. This is the case with its other agents; for example, Qatar and the UAE are both loyal to Britain, but it gives each a different role. Sometimes its interests require their reconciliation, so they move together, and sometimes it requires their divergence. Similarly, roles are distributed between Morocco and Algeria; they appear in agreement for Britain's sake in Libya and Tunisia, while they appear in conflict now.
As for what is expected, the outbreak of a hot war between them currently is unlikely because the causes of tension are not necessitating war in reality. However, minor skirmishes for a short period are not excluded to "save face" regarding the Algerian President’s statement that the killing of the three Algerians "will not go unpunished." This is if the two parties do not resort to negotiations and understandings in the British "middle-ground" solution to restore calm—but only after both parties feel that their internal problems (Morocco's normalization with the Jewish entity and the people's protests against the new Algerian regime) no longer agitate the people. That is, once the reason for the manufactured escalation has vanished.
In conclusion, it is painful that all the existing regimes in the Muslim world have roles distributed in subservience to the colonialist states that assign them tasks and distribute their roles as their colonial interests dictate. They work to cement the separation of Muslims and prevent their unity in one state that applies Islam upon them as they were before the colonial era. This situation necessitates that Muslims work to restore the bond between them and unify them in one state, the Righteous Khilafah, which rules them by their true religion. There would be no discord or conflict between them, but as the Almighty and Majestic said:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ
"The believers are but brothers." (Al-Hujurat [49]: 10)
And as narrated by Muslim on the authority of Nu'man bin Bashir, who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى
"The example of the believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion is like that of a body; when any part of it aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever."
14 Jumada al-Ula 1443 AH 18/12/2021 CE