Map Delineating Morocco from Western Sahara Seen in Netanyahu Clip Reportedly Triggers Fury in Rabat

Outrage was recently sparked in Morocco after a video clip from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed in the background a map delineating Morocco from Western Sahara, reported The Times of Israel.

​The US brokered a deal between Israel and Morocco in early December which, apart from the re-establishment of diplomatic ties, entails the United States' recognition of Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara. This was followed by the US adopting a “new official” map of Morocco that includes the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

“This map is a tangible representation of President Trump’s bold proclamation two days ago – recognising Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara,” ambassador David Fischer said on 13 December, according to AFP.

Accordingly, the map seen in the footage reportedly triggered sharp criticism in Morocco, compelling an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesperson to say the map was “old” and would be replaced, Kan public broadcaster reported Monday.

"An old map appeared in the video. Let us not forget that next to Netanyahu was the Moroccan flag that we are proud of. This will be corrected in the new maps that will appear," the spokesman was quoted as saying.

On Friday Netanyahu spoke on the phone with Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for the first time since the two countries agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations, while earlier, Morocco’s tourism minister announced that direct flights will start operating between the states in two or three months.

On 22 December a joint Israeli-American delegation visited Morocco to sign off on a plethora of bilateral agreements, with the flight to Rabat symbolically the first direct commercial flight from Israel to the Northern African country.

‘Massive Breakthrough for Peace’

A disputed former Spanish colony predominantly under Morocco’s control, Western Sahara has been the scene of simmering tensions since the 1970s, driven by the pro-independence Polisario Front.

​After the announcement of what was touted by US President Donald Trump on his Twitter page as a "massive breakthrough for peace in the Middle East”, the Polisario Front condemned “in the strongest terms the fact that outgoing American President Donald Trump attributes to Morocco something which does not belong” to the country, in a reference to sovereignty over Western Sahara.

Dismissing the announcement, the Sahrawi national liberation movement, which is recognised by the United Nations as the legitimate representative of the Saharawi people, pledged to continue efforts to end all Moroccan presence in the Western Sahara.

The group had proclaimed a Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic in Western Sahara in 1976, after Morocco occupied the territory in the wake of departure of Spanish colonial forces.

Israel has managed to forge diplomatic ties with four Arab states over the last four months with assistance from the Trump administration.

Decades after Egypt and Jordan established diplomatic ties with Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain became the first two states to do the same in September, signing the Washington-brokered Abraham Accords with the country and paving the way for bilateral cooperation with the Jewish state in numerous areas – from tourism and culture to security.

A month later Sudan also agreed to normalise relations with Tel Aviv, with the US also removing the country from the list of states backing terrorists ahead of its deal with Israel. This was followed up by Morocco announcing the move in December.

The developments come as part of a broader Middle East peace plan spearheaded by the Trump administration, which seems to have gathered steam in what appears to be the last days of President Trump in office.

Jared Kushner, White House adviser and Trump’s son-in-law, who is the architect of the sitting president’s aspirations for peace in the region, expressed hopes that other Arab nations will soon join the peace agreements with Israel, including Saudi Arabia.

The moves, however, have been deplored by the Palestinian authorities, as well as some other nations, including Turkey.