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Showing posts from November, 2025

Morocco–Israel: Drone production introduces a new strategic equation. What response for Algiers?

The announcement of the deployment of an Israeli industrial capability for drone manufacturing in Morocco marks a major turning point in the Maghreb’s military balance. This development raises a central question: how can Algeria respond to this technological upgrade by its western neighbor? Options do exist, and they fall within the framework of a Russo-Algerian military cooperation that continues to strengthen. A Changing Regional Context: The Drone Factor as a Power Multiplier Armed drones are no longer just a tactical tool: they have become a strategic instrument, capable of striking deep, saturating defenses, and reshaping operational doctrines. For Rabat, integrating Israeli know-how into local drone production paves the way for capacity autonomy and asymmetric projection in the latent conflict over Western Sahara. In response, Algiers could turn to Russia’s long-range drone sector, particularly systems like the “Geran-2” (known as Shahed-136 in Iran), whose effectiveness has b...

Su‑57 in Algeria: Stealth Pathfinders as Force Multipliers — A New Airpower Grammar for the Maghreb

With the first two Su‑57E fifth‑generation fighters now declared on combat duty for a foreign customer widely assessed to be Algeria , the country has entered the stealth era with a micro‑fleet. The strategic value lies less in numbers than in the qualitative uplift : sensors‑centric reconnaissance, electronic warfare, and low‑observable penetration that multiply the combat power of Algeria’s robust 4/4+ generation backbone (Su‑30MKA, Su‑35, Su‑24M). Even in very small numbers, Su‑57s can act as “tactical mini‑AWACS” and SEAD/DEAD spearheads , reshaping the regional calculus against increasingly layered Moroccan ground‑based air defenses (HQ‑9B/FD‑2000B, Patriot PAC‑3) and reinforcing Algeria’s deterrence posture in the Mediterranean . 1) Algeria’s “Micro‑Fleet” of Su‑57: What Can Two Jets Change? At Dubai Airshow 2025 , UAC CEO Vadim Badekha publicly stated the first export Su‑57s are on combat duty , with the customer “satisfied.” While Moscow did not name the buyer, Algeria ...

Those who truly betrayed Palestine now dare to accuse Algeria of treason

A country that shed its blood for Palestine now finds itself attacked by those who once betrayed it. Algeria has never reduced the Palestinian cause to an empty slogan or a tool for political one-upmanship. Its commitment has never been symbolic: it is rooted in its history, flows through its diplomacy, and is inscribed in the sacrifice of its sons. Before anyone questions the coherence of Algeria’s position, one truth must be recalled—a truth too often ignored: Algeria took part in every Arab-Israeli war, sending its soldiers and aircraft to the Middle Eastern fronts. In 1973, it went even further: it financed the October War with its own funds, offering Moscow a blank check to equip the Egyptian army. And in November 1988, Algiers hosted the proclamation of the State of Palestine, a founding act that placed our country in the crosshairs of powers and networks whose maneuvers fueled the tragedies of the Black Decade. No other Arab country has paid such a heavy price for defending, un...

Ahmed Rissouni: The Preacher Who Turns Theology into Geopolitics

Ahmed Rissouni, former president of what is called “The International Union of Muslim Scholars” , returns once again to his favorite exercise: stoking discord, legitimizing confrontation, and distributing certificates of “national purity” according to the needs of the Moroccan palace. The man who once called for a “holy war” against Algeria and a “march on Tindouf” now appears under a new guise—but with an even more dangerous discourse, saturated with insinuations and falsehoods designed to inflame an entire region. In a lengthy article, he proclaims that the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic has been “definitively buried” by a decision of the UN Security Council—as if the United Nations had suddenly renounced the principle of self-determination. Rissouni forgets—or pretends to forget—that the UN has never recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, and that the conflict remains officially listed as a decolonization issue. This is not analysis; it is propaganda disguised as...

Response from Belgacem Merbah to Tahar Ben Jelloun’s Recent Position Regarding Boualem Sansal

When Historical Ignorance Becomes a Geopolitical Weapon Tahar Ben Jelloun’s recent intervention in Le Figaro purports to offer a literary testimony; in reality, it is a discursive strategy meticulously aligned with the geopolitical imperatives of the makhzen . By exploiting the singular case of Boualem Sansal, Ben Jelloun claims to shed light on Algeria’s political history; yet what he truly reveals is this: the unwavering determination of the Moroccan literary lobby to instrumentalize memory and literature in order to weaken Algeria and serve the interests of the royal palace. This analysis is framed within a perspective that asserts Algeria’s national sovereignty—both historical and contemporary—and categorically rejects the Moroccan and Franco-colonial narratives that Ben Jelloun reproduces without nuance. 1. A Voice Undermined by Silence on Moroccan Repression Let us state the obvious: Tahar Ben Jelloun is not a neutral observer of the Maghreb. While Algeria stood alone again...

Boualem Sansal’s Presidential Pardon: Between Diplomatic Humanity and the Sovereignty Equation

The announcement of a presidential pardon for Boualem Sansal has stirred surprise, debate, and indignation across Algeria. The Franco-Algerian writer, sentenced to five years in prison for statements deemed harmful to national unity, will be transferred to Germany for medical treatment at the express request of President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. While the gesture appears rooted in humanitarian considerations, it in fact unveils a complex diplomatic web where principles of sovereignty, European power balances, and political calculations intersect. A Humanitarian Gesture with Multiple Diplomatic Readings Officially, the presidential decision is framed as a “humanitarian” response to a German request. Boualem Sansal, elderly and in poor health, would thus benefit from a medical transfer in a spirit of clemency and openness. Yet seasoned observers know that behind this façade lies a far subtler game of influence. For months, Paris had sought Sansal’s release, multiplying diplomatic and ...

Moroccan Provocations: A Symptom of a Historical Complex Toward Algeria

In recent months, Moroccan media outlets and circles close to the Makhzen have multiplied claims suggesting that Morocco harbors an alleged intention to “occupy” the Algerian cities of Béchar and Tindouf — as if these regions were disputed territories. No Moroccan official has ever made such a statement, yet Rabat insists on nurturing this illusion. How can one explain these recurring provocations, especially when the military, diplomatic, and historical balance of power clearly favors Algeria? To understand this phenomenon, one must analyze it through historical, psychological, and geopolitical lenses. 1. A Historical Complex Rooted in Defeat and Rivalry Tension between Algeria and Morocco has deep roots that go back to the post-independence era. The Moroccan monarchy believed that an independent Algeria would remain “grateful” to Rabat for its alleged support during the war of liberation. Instead, it witnessed the emergence of a sovereign, revolutionary Algeria, proudly asserting its...

Morocco’s Silent War Against Algeria: Water, Pollution, and Drugs as Weapons of Hostility

For several years, the Kingdom of Morocco has pursued a deliberate policy of provocation and hostility toward Algeria — a policy that extends far beyond rhetoric into tangible acts affecting Algeria’s water, environment, and social fabric. While Rabat sheds crocodile tears over the suspension of the Maghreb–Europe Gas Pipeline, it has in fact been waging a silent war against Algeria through water deprivation, environmental pollution, and the export of narcotics — forming a coherent strategy aimed at undermining Algeria’s national security and stability. 1. Dams on the Border — A Deliberate Water War Along the western border, Morocco has built dozens of dams on rivers and streams that flow naturally into Algerian territory. These constructions, undertaken without coordination or bilateral agreements, have caused an environmental disaster in the Béchar region. The reduced flow of the Guir River has directly threatened the Djorf Torba Dam, one of Algeria’s most vital reservoirs in the sou...

Algeria and the Illusion of a “Peace Deal”: An Algerian Reading of the Washington Institute Note

In its recent PolicyWatch, the Washington Institute presents the enticing prospect of a sixty-day “peace deal,” elevating the Western Sahara file as the sole key to regional de-escalation . Such a vision, while rhetorically appealing, reflects a shallow understanding of Maghrebi realities. It confuses rivalry with war — though Algiers and Rabat are not at war — and reduces a structural, decades-long antagonism that predates 1975 to a single issue: Western Sahara. Even the note itself concedes that bilateral relations are at a “historic low” without being warlike, which makes the sixty-day ultimatum more of a performative gesture than a viable diplomatic timetable. A State Rivalry Rooted in Memory, Borders, and Security From Algeria’s standpoint, the American “diplomatic clock” ignores the historical underpinnings of the dispute: the Sand War (1963–64), the colonial legacy of unclarified borders, successive cycles of tension and freeze — including the land border closure since 1994 — an...

November 1st, 2025: A Day of Courage That United Two Nations

November 1st, a date sacred to Algeria as it commemorates the Revolution, found an unexpected echo on British soil this year. On that day, an ordinary man, Samir Zitouni , 48, an employee of London North Eastern Railway (LNER) , became a hero. Faced with terror unleashed by a knife-wielding attacker aboard a train from Doncaster to London, he risked his life to save others. His act of bravery prevented a massacre and turned this Algerian-born man into a universal symbol of humanity and courage. A Life Shaped by Timeless Values Born in Algeria, Samir—known as “Sam” to his colleagues—grew up in a culture rooted in hospitality and solidarity. These values traveled with him when he emigrated to the United Kingdom as a young man. He quickly integrated into Britain’s multicultural fabric, mastering the language and earning respect through professionalism and kindness. Today, British media praise him as a man of integrity and compassion. Married and a devoted father, Samir led a quiet life...

Morocco’s ‘Unity Day’: Celebrating Illusion to Ward Off Reality

  On November 4, 2025, Morocco announced the creation of a new national holiday, named “Unity Day” (عيد الوحدة), which will henceforth be celebrated every October 31. This day is intended to commemorate what Moroccan authorities describe as a “victory” in the Western Sahara issue. Yet this initiative raises many questions. Upon closer examination, no tangible event—whether military, diplomatic, or historical—objectively justifies the choice of this date. No decisive agreement has been signed, no new international recognition has been obtained, and no concrete progress on the ground appears to have marked this day in any significant way. It is precisely this absence of factual foundation that gives this decision both its meaning—and its controversy. By elevating October 31 to the status of a symbol of an unachieved triumph, the kingdom seems to wager on narrative over reality, on symbol over fact, on imagination over accomplishment. Thus, “Unity Day” appears less as the celebratio...

Resolution 2797: Between Morocco’s Setback and Algeria’s Firm Stand in the Struggle for International Legitimacy

The adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2797 marks a new milestone in the diplomatic struggle over the Western Sahara issue. This resolution reaffirms a fundamental principle: there can be no solution outside the framework of international legality and the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination. While Rabat sought to portray the text as a “diplomatic victory” that consolidates its narrative, Algeria’s interpretation—articulated by Foreign Minister Ahmed Attaf in his interview with Algeria International —places events in their proper context and sheds light on the underlying dynamics and power balances that shaped the decision. It is worth noting that this interview represents the first official statement by an Algerian official following the recent speech by the King of Morocco, in which he called for direct dialogue with the Algerian President. Strikingly, Minister Attaf made no mention of this overture, clearly reflecting the limited interest and credibility Algeria ac...