The agreement between Morocco and an Israeli company for oil and gas exploration in Western Sahara has sparked outrage in the Canary Islands. This was reflected in a statement made on Wednesday, March 12, by the spokesperson for the Canary Coalition (CC) parliamentary group, which leads the regional autonomous government. According to EFE, José Miguel Barragán voiced concern over the Morocco-Israel partnership for oil exploration and urged the Spanish government to «reactivate roundtable discussions with Morocco to define the archipelago's maritime borders». This is not the first time Canary Islands authorities have expressed frustration. In November 2023, the same political group submitted a written question to Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding offshore oil and gas explorations announced by King Mohammed VI in his November 6 speech. At the time, Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares reassured that «Morocco is a strategic partner» and that all decisions would be made «based on friendship and, of course, ensuring the interests of Spain and the Canary Islands».
