The Israeli Foreign Ministry issued an apology early Friday morning following a significant backlash in Moroccan media over a map used by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a recent interview.
The map in question failed to depict Western Sahara as part of Morocco, contradicting Israel’s prior recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over the region.
In response to the uproar, Hassan Kaabia, the Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Arabic spokesperson, issued an apology on X.
Kaabia described the map’s depiction as an “unintentional mistake” and a “technical error.” He extended a direct apology to King Mohammed VI, aiming to clarify the situation and mend the diplomatic rift.
Kaabia reiterated the strong ties between Israel and Morocco and reaffirmed Israel’s recognition of Western Sahara as an integral part of Moroccan territory.
“For this reason, I present an explanation to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God grant him victory, his dear people, and his esteemed government, by saying: “Morocco is in its Sahara until God inherits the earth and everything on it,” Kaabia said.
The controversy surrounding the truncated Moroccan map began after Netanyahu appeared on France’s LCI channel Thursday evening. During the interview, he held a map of Morocco that did not include Western Sahara.
This omission was particularly striking given that just over a year ago, Netanyahu had personally acknowledged Morocco’s claim to Western Sahara in a letter to King Mohammed VI.
This incident isn’t isolated, as previously, during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a similar incomplete map of Morocco was presented.
The incident ignited outrage among Moroccans on social media who condemned Netanyahu’s actions.
Many expressed that Morocco does not need validation from what they referred to as the “occupying entity”.
Moroccan media also reacted strongly, accusing Netanyahu of provoking Moroccans with what they described as a truncated map that excluded Western Sahara.
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