Abdelaali Hassani Cherif, the candidate of the Movement of Society for Peace (MSP), who has been authorized to participate in Algeria's September 7 presidential elections, has outlined his conditions for a potential resumption of diplomatic relations with Morocco, which have been severed since August 2021. In an interview with Al Jazeera, Cherif stated, «I believe that the decision to normalize relations with the Zionist entity is the direct cause of the tensions between Algeria and Morocco. This decision has delayed any efforts at rapprochement between the two neighbors, despite a few contacts». Cherif stressed that restoring trust between Morocco and Algeria requires «rejecting normalization [with Israel], confronting the new ambitions of the region's former colonizers, ending colonialism, and recognizing the right of peoples to self-determination». In this way, the leader of the MSP reiterated his country's support for the Polisario. During a campaign rally in Tlemcen on August 24, Cherif declared, «Our issue is with the Makhzen regime, which has historically conspired against us. The alliance between Morocco and the Zionist entity poses a threat to Algeria's security due to the Zionist entity's presence on our western borders».
