Morocco's Designs on Western Sahara Pose Danger to Palestinians

Morocco’s Designs on Western Sahara Pose Danger to Palestinians

Ian Williams argues that Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara and its push for an autonomy plan break international law and threaten the Palestinians by setting a precedent. He points out that Arab governments loudly condemn Israeli settlements and the West Bank wall but say almost nothing about Morocco doing the same thing in Western Sahara.

Williams recalls that the International Court of Justice and the Security Council called for a referendum on self-determination and that the 1991 ceasefire was supposed to lead to one, which Morocco resisted once it looked unlikely to win. He describes the Security Council resolution of 30 April 2007, backed by France and the United States, as a partial setback for Rabat because it did not endorse the Moroccan plan and called for talks on self-determination. He also describes Morocco’s lobbying campaign in Washington, reportedly costing about 30 million dollars, and the politicians and neoconservative figures, including Elliott Abrams, who promoted its plan.

He concludes that if Morocco is allowed to deny self-determination and win acceptance for its plan, the rule of law will be weakened, to the cost of both the Sahrawis and the Palestinians.

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