Israel Recognizes Morocco’s Sovereignty Over Western Sahara

Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita (MAP)
Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita (MAP)
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Israel Recognizes Morocco’s Sovereignty Over Western Sahara

Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita (MAP)
Israeli Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked with Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita (MAP)

Israel recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked announced during an official visit to the country.

Shaked said that "Israel supports the sovereignty of Morocco on the Sahara.” She met the Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita, in Rabat.

“We talked about the close relationship between the two countries, and also the joint projects that we can do together,” announced Shaked.

According to a statement issued by her office, Shaked “publicly expressed for the first time Israel’s support of Morocco’s sovereignty over the Sahara.”

The statement did not include a direct quote and her spokeswoman declined to provide one.

Earlier on Tuesday, Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit held with his Israeli counterpart a meeting, which was attended by several senior officials of the two countries' interior ministries.

A statement by the Ministry of the Interior stated that this meeting falls within the context of the joint declaration between Morocco, the US, and Israel, signed before King Mohammed VI, in December 2020.

It also reflects the commitment to resume full official contact between Morocco and Israel.

A source explained that the meeting constituted an occasion for a fruitful exchange between the two ministers on issues that fall within the competencies of their respective sectors and the promising prospects for cooperation between the two countries.



Türkiye's Erdogan Discusses Syria Situation with Putin by Phone, Ankara Says

 Syrian opposition fighters ride on motorcycles through abandoned Syrian army vehicles on a road in the outskirts of Hama, Syria, Tuesday Dec. 3, 2024.(AP)
Syrian opposition fighters ride on motorcycles through abandoned Syrian army vehicles on a road in the outskirts of Hama, Syria, Tuesday Dec. 3, 2024.(AP)
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Türkiye's Erdogan Discusses Syria Situation with Putin by Phone, Ankara Says

 Syrian opposition fighters ride on motorcycles through abandoned Syrian army vehicles on a road in the outskirts of Hama, Syria, Tuesday Dec. 3, 2024.(AP)
Syrian opposition fighters ride on motorcycles through abandoned Syrian army vehicles on a road in the outskirts of Hama, Syria, Tuesday Dec. 3, 2024.(AP)

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan discussed the renewed outbreak of conflict in Syria with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone, Erdogan's office said in a post on X on Tuesday.

Erdogan and Putin spoke as Syrian opposition forces advancing against government troops pushed close on Tuesday to the major city of Hama, fighters and a war monitor said, after their sudden capture of Aleppo last week rocked President Bashar al-Assad.

Erdogan told Putin that Türkiye supports Syria's territorial integrity and strives for a just and lasting solution in Syria, the statement said.

"President Erdogan highlighted the importance of making more room for diplomacy in the region, and underscored that the Syrian regime should engage in the political solution process," it said. Erdogan also said that Syria should not become a source of greater instability.

"Erdogan stated that Türkiye will continue to maintain its determined stance on the fight against the terrorist organization PKK and its extensions who are trying to take advantage of the recent developments in Syria," the statement said.