Towards Reconciliation with Algeria
(Article by David Dadonn, "Ha'aretz", June 13, 2000)
The launch of the Oslo process paved the way for intensive contacts
with countries in North Africa: Morocco, Tunisia and Mauritania.
These contacts led to the establishment of a Liaison Office in
Morocco in November 1994, an Interests Office in Mauritania in
December 1995 and an Interests Office in Tunisia in April 1996.
The process of the establishment of diplomatic relations with the
North African countries differs from the peace process with the Arab
states neighboring Israel. In the case of Egypt and Jordan, the
process developed in one stage: full diplomatic relations, the nature
and content of which were known, which were established without
transitional stages. In contrast, the nature of the relations with
the North African states is as yet unclear, and it appears that it
will be different to the relations with the neighboring Arab states.
In order to get an insight into the future direction of these
relations and the closeness of these ties, it is important to
understand the motives and interests of the North African countries
with regard to their relations with Israel.
One consideration which applies in the case of Morocco, Mauritania
and Tunisia and, possibly, in the case of Algeria, is the wish to
reward Israel for its willingness to recognize the PLO, and to work
towards the resolution of the Palestinian problem. One should
emphasize that in the view of the North African countries, the
Palestinian track is not like the Syrian track. The conflict between
Israel and Syria constitutes a border dispute between two sovereign
countries. When an agreement is signed between the two countries, we
may assume that there will not be jubilation among the North African
countries leading to an upgrading of relations.
However, the Palestinian problem is seen by the North African
countries as the heart of the conflict between Israel and the Arab
people, and only a redress of the injustice caused to the Palestinian
people when the Jewish state was established will enable the
countries to come to terms with Israel's existence and bring about
reconciliation between the peoples. Therefore, when the negotiations
with the Palestinians reach a stage where the process is irreversible
leading to a permanent solution, we will certainly see the beginning
of closer relations between Israel and the countries of North Africa,
including the exchange of ambassadors, and also, where applicable,
the establishment of direct flights to Israel.
Recently, a meeting took place in Paris between the Chairman of the
Algerian Council of the Nation, Bashir Bou-Maza, and the President of
the French Jewish umbrella organization (CRIF), Henri Hadjenberg, in
which the Algerian called for the strengthening of the dialogue
between French Jews and the authorities in Algeria. If Algeria (a
country which had viewed most Algerian-Jewish emigrants as allies of
France since its war of independence) felt the need to rebuild its
relations with the Jews, then countries such as Morocco and Tunisia,
which have preserved in their collective memory an almost ideal
picture of Jewish-Muslim relations in their country, will certainly
feel a need of this kind. In both countries, the relations with
Israel are viewed, both by the authorities and by public opinion, as
the continuation or renewal of the relations with the Jewish
communities. The normalization with Israel, therefore, is not a
journey into the unknown. Once the external factors blocking warmer
relations are removed, there will be few if any domestic factors
preventing closer relations.
An additional reason for the optimistic forecast concerning the
quality of future relations between Israel and the North African
countries, including Algeria, is the similarity between the national
identity in these countries and the Israeli national identity. Just
as the Israeli identity mixes elements of east and west, so the
national identities in the North African countries incorporate a
strong western element in addition to the Berber element, which is
integrated with the Arab identity.
In the case of Algeria, in recent years, the civil society in this
country has shown courage and readiness to fight for the principles
of democracy and freedom of speech. This stratum of society, which
mobilized to stand as a wall against dictatorship and paid a heavy
price, is the basis and the bridge to a close relationship in the
future between Israel and Algeria.
David Dadonn is Head of the Israel Foreign Ministry's Department of the Maghreb, Syria and Lebanon.