Former Algerian diplomat condemns Arab-Israeli normalization amid Gaza violence
Amar Belani says Morocco’s and the UAE’s expanding ties with Israel are contributing to a broader regional power struggle.
Former Algerian ambassador Amar Belani criticized Morocco’s and the UAE’s expanding relations with Israel, arguing that the Abraham Accords were creating a broader diplomatic, economic and security network extending into North Africa and the Sahel. His claims were published in a commentary on Facebook and reported by IRNA.
TEHRAN — Amar Belani, a former Algerian ambassador to Egypt, has criticized the normalization of relations between several Arab countries and Israel, describing it as deeply regrettable amid what he called the ongoing genocide in Gaza and escalating violence against civilians in the occupied West Bank.
In a commentary published on his personal Facebook page, Belani argued that the Abraham Accords were gradually developing into an organized network of diplomatic, economic and security relations involving Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, Kazakhstan and the United States.
He said Morocco and Israel had taken further steps to strengthen bilateral ties, including upgrading their diplomatic missions, exchanging ambassadors, resuming direct flights and expanding economic relations. According to the commentary, agreements on investment protection and the avoidance of double taxation were expected to be finalized before the end of 2026.
Belani singled out Morocco’s relations with Israel, noting that Morocco’s King Mohammed VI chairs the Al-Quds Committee and has presented himself as a defender of Jerusalem. He accused Rabat of expressing solidarity with Palestinians while continuing to deepen ties with Israel during the war.
The former diplomat said Morocco-Israel cooperation now extended beyond diplomacy to defense, drones, intelligence and military technology. He also accused the UAE of supporting Morocco financially and militarily, describing the emerging Rabat-Abu Dhabi-Tel Aviv relationship as an unofficial trilateral military alliance that he claimed could harm Algeria’s security and territorial integrity.
Belani said the impact of the Abraham Accords had spread beyond the Middle East to North Africa and the Sahel. He argued that Morocco, the UAE and Israel were seeking to expand their influence through interconnected defense, investment, technology and security cooperation.
He concluded that the Maghreb and the Sahel were becoming arenas for competition among regional actors and that these organized relationships could gradually reshape regional power dynamics.