Kuttab on Morocco normalization and occupation in Western Sahara

Jonathan Kuttab, founder of the Palestine human rights organization Al-Haq as well as Just Peace Advocates in Canada visited Western Sahara in 2015, and has spoken out in reaction to the move by Morocco.

Kuttab says that “since the end of World War II, one of the bedrocks of international law was the inadmissibility of acquisition of territory by force.”

This principle, noted Kuttab, was explicitly violated by the U.S. not only in the Trump administration’s “approval of the annexation of East Jerusalem and moving the U.S. embassy there, but also the annexation of the Golan Heights.”

Kuttab indicated that there is:

“Yet another violation of this principle by announcing that the U.S. recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over Western Sahara, in a horse deal that traded normalization with Israel to recognize the highly contested claims of Morocco over Western Sahara. Apart from the clear violation of international law, and the injustice to the people of Western Sahara and their right to self-determination, this move further erodes international law and principles, and almost invites countries all over the world, particularly in Africa, to invade their neighbors, or wait for an opportune moment to assert their claims, and for the proper incentive needed to have the U.S. approve it.”

In a release by the Institute for Public Accuracy, Kuttab stressed, given these ramifications, the need for the U.S. to reverse the recognitions along with other U.S. actions such as the withdrawal from international agreements.

Read more:

Trumps Morocco Move Inviting Countries to Invide Each Other Accuracy.org

Canada welcomes normalization between Israel and Morocco  Jonathan quoted in rabble.ca

Statement by NonViolence International

Canada Welcomes Normalization Between Israel and Morocco  Jonathan quoted