Amar Belani's Historical Defense Against Moroccan Claims
Amar Belani, a former Algerian diplomat, has boldly confronted Moroccan assertions regarding the historical context of the Algeria-Morocco border. In his discourse, he references pivotal treaties such as the 1844 Treaty of Tangier and the 1845 Lalla Maghnia Agreement, alongside historical documentation, to counter attempts at altering the established narrative surrounding these territorial boundaries. This response is not merely a matter of diplomacy; it is a thorough examination of historical records that Belani argues should be the foundation for understanding the border's history, rather than selective interpretations of later publications.
In his critique, Belani expresses disappointment at what he perceives as a biased and historically unfounded interpretation of a work by French journalist Léon Plée, published in 1866. He emphasizes that a journalistic account penned decades after the events cannot hold more weight than the diplomatic agreements that were created contemporaneously to define relations and territorial demarcations between Morocco and Algeria. Central to Belani's argument are the aforementioned treaties which collectively serve as a robust framework against claims that aim to retrospectively redefine the historical context of the border.
The Importance of Diplomatic Documents in Border Disputes
Belani's defense is primarily anchored in the content of the 1844 Treaty of Tangier, which he asserts clearly delineates the territorial status inherited from the Ottoman rule period in Algeria. He points out that the subsequent Lalla Maghnia Agreement of 1845 formalized this understanding and established the boundary between Morocco and the former Regency of Algiers. Furthermore, he challenges the interpretations that suggest difficulties in demarcating certain frontier sections, particularly in Saharan regions, imply that no border existed. Instead, he argues that these challenges are indicative of the complexities involved in establishing precise borders in a difficult terrain, rather than evidence of a lack of an agreed territorial framework.
Continuing his argument, Belani criticizes Moroccan media for selectively quoting from Plée’s 1866 book while neglecting the significance of earlier diplomatic documents and historical records that provide a clearer picture of the events. He asserts that the historical narrative regarding the Algerian-Moroccan border should be grounded in treaties, agreements, maps, and archives, rather than being influenced by selective readings of subsequent literature. "The history of the Algerian-Moroccan border is not redrawn from a newspaper article," he stated, highlighting the necessity of relying on primary sources to establish a credible historical record.
Belani's discourse also extends into the complexities surrounding Western Sahara, where he identifies contradictions in Morocco’s territorial claims. He references United Nations maps that clearly differentiate Morocco from Western Sahara, which is recognized by the UN as a Non-Self-Governing Territory. He points to a United Nations General Assembly map adopted on September 4, 2026, arguing that Morocco's stance on its territorial claims must align with its recognition of relevant UN instruments. Furthermore, he highlights Morocco's support of the General Assembly resolution concerning Western Sahara as indicative of a disconnect between the nation’s positions in international forums and some of the historical claims made within its domestic narrative.
As reported by dzair-tube.dz.
