Algeria Will Recognize Israel After Establishment of Palestinian State: President Tebboune
Algiers, 3 February – Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has stated that his country will begin normalizing relations with Israel on the day a Palestinian state is established.
This remark came during an interview with the French newspaper L’Opinion. When asked whether Algeria would be willing to normalize relations with Israel if the peace process eventually leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state, President Tebboune responded, “Certainly, we will recognize Israel the day the Palestinian state is created.”
The president emphasized that this stance aligns with historical continuity. He mentioned that his predecessors, Presidents Chadli Bendjedid and Abdelaziz Bouteflika, had clearly stated that Algeria had no issues with Israel. “Our only concern is the failure to establish a Palestinian state,” he added.
It is important to note that in mid-2020, Israel, which is an occupying power, and several Arab countries announced agreements to normalize relations. The countries that made agreements with Israel include the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. These agreements were called the “Abraham Accords.”
The Abraham Accords opened the door for relations between Israel and Arab states, and soon after, in June 2020, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu began annexing parts of the West Bank.
Previously, in 1948, Arab nations had refused to recognize the Israeli state as a protest against the decision to partition Palestine. For decades, Arab countries not only boycotted Israel but also fought wars against it.
After the Six-Day War in 1967 and the October War in 1973, Egypt signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1979, becoming the first Arab country to do so under the Camp David Accords. Similarly, Jordan signed a peace agreement with Israel in 1994, known as the Wadi Araba Agreement. In 1993, the Palestine Liberation Organization also signed an agreement with Israel for a two-state solution, though Israel has consistently undermined the prospects for a Palestinian state.
