Algeria, Spain to Discuss Trade Relations, Immigration Crisis

The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Algeria, Spain to Discuss Trade Relations, Immigration Crisis

The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The former Algerian Prime Minister with the Spanish Minister in Algeria (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares is expected to arrive in Algiers on Monday to meet with officials and discuss the full resumption of trade between the two countries following the end of their political crisis a short time ago, according to Algerian government sources.
The meetings will also address illegal immigration, the desert conflict, the turbulent political and security situation in the Sahel, and the tragic humanitarian crisis in Gaza in light of the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Strip.
The Spanish Foreign Ministry announced that Albares would visit Algeria at the invitation of its Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf, without providing details about the duration and the purpose of the visit.
Algerian official sources suggested that President Abdelmadjid Tebboune or Prime Minister Nadir Larbaoui would receive the Spanish official.
They confirmed that several issues would be discussed between Albares and Attaf, most notably the return of intra-trade, the situation in Mali, and the Sahara issue, which was a subject of disagreement between the two countries.
They would also discuss the Israeli war on Gaza, as Algeria and Spain share similar positions, the most prominent of which is the necessity of stopping the aggression immediately and allowing aid to enter the Strip.
Signs of a breakthrough in relations between the two countries appeared last November following the return of the Algerian ambassador to Madrid 20 months after his withdrawal.
In December, the Algerian airline resumed its flights to major Spanish cities after several months' halt.
The crisis with Spain began after the Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, sent a letter to the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, in March 2022, declaring his country's support for the Autonomy Plan to resolve the dispute over Western Sahara.
Algeria considered the position a "departure from neutrality," regarding the issue causing a rift between Algiers and Rabat for many years, and suspended the "treaty of friendship" with Madrid, which dates back to 2002.
Following the ambassador's withdrawal, Algeria stopped all its trade exchanges with Spain, which caused significant financial losses to dozens of Spanish institutions.
It also created a severe scarcity of materials in the Algerian market.
Spanish goods exported to Algeria were valued at around 3 billion euros before the unprecedented political crisis between the two countries.
Gas was excluded from the trade boycott because the two countries had long-term contracts related to the sale of energy.
A few weeks ago, Attaf told the media that the end of the rift with Spain is a change in Madrid's position regarding the Sahara issue.
He referred to President Pedro Sanchez's speech at the UN General Assembly last September, in which he stressed that Spain supports the Special Envoy of the UN Sec-Gen to the Western Sahara.
He stressed that his government would continue to support the region's people in refugee camps as it had always done.
For the Algerians, Sanchez's failure to confirm support for the Autonomy Plan for the Sahara amounted to a disparity from the previous position.
The Algerian President was also quoted as saying at a cabinet meeting last September that Spain has begun to align with the European decision on the Sahara issue, which is to support the efforts of the UN in favor of a political path to reach a just and lasting political solution, acceptable to all parties.



Lebanon Says Israeli Airstrike Hits Target in East

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
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Lebanon Says Israeli Airstrike Hits Target in East

This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)
This picture taken from a position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, shows an Israeli flag (L) on a destroyed building, and a Lebanese flag (R) painted on a damaged building in the southern Lebanese village of Mais al-Jabal on November 25, 2024, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hezbollah. (AFP)

Lebanon's state media said an Israeli airstrike targeted the Baalbek region in the east of the country on Wednesday, branding it a "violation" of the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

The truce went into effect on November 27 after more than a year of hostilities that began with the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip.

Both sides have since accused the other of breaching the ceasefire.

Wednesday's strike near the town of Tarya did not result in casualties, the state-run National News Agency said, calling the attack the "first violation of the ceasefire agreement" in the Baalbek area, AFP reported.

A Lebanese security source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strike targeted "warehouses believed to belong to Hezbollah".

Hezbollah has for decades held sway in south Beirut, and the south and east of the country.

The war with Israel saw Hezbollah massively weakened but not crushed.

A committee made up of the United States, France, Lebanon, Israel and United Nations peacekeepers is tasked with monitoring the ceasefire and ensuring violations are identified and dealt with.

Lebanon has asked the parties -- particularly the United States and France -- to press Israel to speed up its withdrawal from the country's south under the terms of the deal.

As part of the truce, the Lebanese army and peacekeepers will deploy in southern Lebanon as the Israeli army pulls out over a period of 60 days, which are due to expire in January 2025.

The Israeli army said on Monday that it was continuing its "defensive activities" in the south "in accordance with the agreement".

It has yet to issue a statement on the reported strike in eastern Lebanon.