Algeria president says ready to normalise ties with Israel

Algeria’s President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has said his country would be ready to establish diplomatic relations with Israel — but only if a fully sovereign Palestinian state is established.  

In an interview with the French newspaper L’Opinion, Tebboune framed his position as a continuation of Algeria’s historical stance.  

“This aligns with the position of my predecessors, Presidents Chadli and Bouteflika, who had no issue with Israel”, he said on 2 February.

“Our only concern is the establishment of a Palestinian state.”  

His comments mark a notable departure from Algeria’s traditionally staunch opposition to normalising ties with Israel.  

Still, Tebboune insisted that Algeria’s core issue with Israel remains its role as an occupying power blocking the creation of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.  

The Algerian president’s remarks on Israel prompted swift backlash from Algeria’s largest opposition party, the Islamist-leaning Movement of Society for Peace (MSP).  

In a statement on Sunday, the party condemned “any settlement or normalisation projects with the Zionist entity,” describing Israel as an “aggressive occupier” that aims to erase Palestinian rights and “Judaise the nation’s holy sites.”  

This marks a rare moment in Algeria’s tightly controlled political landscape, where MSP and other opposition parties tend to refrain from challenging the state’s decisions, especially on foreign policy.  

However, a source from the MSP said, “The Palestinian cause is a red line” for the Islamist party.  

They also alleged “suspicious pressures from Israel’s allies, particularly the United States, to push resistant nations—Algeria included—into normalisation”, the source told The New Arab on condition of anonymity.  

MSP urged the Algerian government to remain steadfast in its rejection of diplomatic ties with Israel and to continue its support for Palestinian statehood.  

In recent years, Israel has voiced its intent to expand its diplomacy in the Maghreb, but Tunisia and Algeria have both categorically denied any discussions with Tel Aviv about following Morocco’s 2020 normalisation deal.  

Israel’s ties in the Maghreb

Since gaining independence, Algeria has consistently upheld strong ties with Palestine, pledging allegiance to the Palestinian cause—a commitment rooted in the shared history of both nations’ long and bloody struggles against occupation.  

In 2022, Algiers hosted mediation talks between rival Palestinian factions, leading to a reconciliation agreement that ended 15 years of discord.  

Amid the Gaza war, Algeria played a key role in drafting a ceasefire resolution at the UN Security Council and is still pushing for full Palestinian membership in the council.  

However, Algerians have been unable to protest for Palestine due to an ongoing ban on all demonstrations. The opposition attempted to secure an exception for pro-Palestine protests, but the government was unresponsive.  

Tebboune’s comments suggest that normalisation—once a non-starter in Algeria—may no longer be entirely off the table.  

In Tunisia, President Kais Saied has also signalled a possible shift in his stance on normalisation.  

Last year, he blocked a draft law to criminalise normalisation—which was set to pass by a wide majority—citing the need to protect the state’s interests. He also presided over a crackdown on pro-Palestine activists, many of whom now face terrorism charges.  

In January, Italian media reported on a potential deal between Tunis and Tel Aviv, brokered by Washington and Rome. 

While Algeria’s stance on normalisation appears to be softening, Tebboune remains resolute in keeping all ties with Morocco severed and Algerian airspace closed to Moroccan flights.  

Algeria cut ties with Morocco after Rabat normalised relations with Israel under US auspices in December 2020. Although tensions between the two countries predate the normalisation, Algiers viewed Rabat’s deal as a direct threat to its borders and security.  

“Morocco’s military exercises with Israel contradict the principles of good neighbourliness that we have always tried to uphold,” reaffirmed Tebboune in his interview with French media.