Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front, compared the separatist movement to Palestine during a visit to Dublin. «Our question is similar to that of Palestine, our plight is not different from the plight of Palestinians, it is not different from the plight of the people of Timor Leste. We are firmly attached to our rights», he told Irish media. He emphasized, «We have come to Ireland to strengthen and deepen the relationship that exists between our people because we have many things in common in terms of our history and our values». «This is why we're here in Ireland, because people here understand the right to self-determination», Ghali added. By the same token, Polisario's MINURSO coordinator claimed that «Western Sahara is the largest open prison in the world today, not just like Palestine but because of the size of the territory». Ghali met with President Michael D. Higgins, known for his pro-Palestinian stance, on Thursday. This follows Higgins' 2012 reception of former Polisario leader Mohamed Abdelaziz. The Polisario seeks to leverage European solidarity with Palestine to advance its own positions, coinciding with discussions of European recognition for the Palestinian state.
