Algeria president confirms 'no normalisation' with Israel before Palestinian statehood

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has confirmed that his country will not normalise relations with Israel before the establishment of a Palestinian state.

In an interview with the French daily Le Point on Sunday Tebboune was asked about his readiness to build ties with the occupation state once a Palestinian state is established, he replied: “Of course, on the day that happens.”

“Our priority is the establishment of a Palestinian state,” he said.

Algeria has consistently maintained a firm stance against normalisation with Israel, rejecting any diplomatic ties until a Palestinian state is established.

The country refused to join the Abraham Accords in 2020 – a normalisation agreement between Israel and several Arab states – and stressed its unwavering support for Palestinian rights and the establishment of a state based on pre-1967 borders.

Strained Algeria-France ties

Regarding Algeria’s relationship with France, Tebboune denied “any intention of rupture,” emphasising that “significant efforts have been made to avoid reaching a rupture.”

On the issue of the disputed Western Sahara region, which has strained bilateral ties after Paris recognised Morocco’s sovereignty over the region last summer, Tebboune explained that he warned French President Emmanuel Macron “that he was making a grave mistake and that Algeria would lose out.”

The Western Sahara issue has been a source of tensions between Rabat and Algiers for some five decades. The issue began in 1975 after the Spanish colonial withdrawal from the region, and the conflict between Morocco and the pro-independence Polisario Front turned into an armed struggle that lasted until 1991, when a ceasefire agreement was signed.

The UN does not recognise the sovereignty claims of either the Polisario Front or Morocco, which took control of most of Western Sahara in a 1975 agreement with Spain and Mauritania.

Morocco proposes extensive autonomy for the Western Sahara region under its sovereignty, while the Polisario Front calls for a referendum on self-determination, a stance supported by Algeria, which hosts refugees from the region.

Tebboune described the current climate of relations between Algeria and France as “poisoned, and time is wasted with President Macron,” after there had been great hopes to overcome the memory-related disagreements.

In response to a question about his willingness to resume dialogue, provided there are strong political statements from the French side, Tebboune replied: “Certainly, but I will not be the one to make them.”

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