Algeria maintains hidden trade with Israel while presenting itself as a defender of Palestine
Like much of the Arab world, Algeria has shown itself to be a staunch defender of the Palestinian cause, stating that it does not accept any kind of relations with Israel and voicing its rejection at every United Nations Assembly. However, trade figures between Tel Aviv and Algiers are increasing every year. According to COMTRADE data audited by the UN, last year Algeria sold chemicals to Israel worth more than $32.3 million.
The data is there, but it contrasts with the position of the Algerian government, which on the one hand criticises other countries for ‘betraying the Palestinian people’, while on the other hand maintaining its trade relations with the Jewish state.
Diplomatic hypocrisy
The moral duality of Abdelmadjid Tebboune's government is so evident that even Algerian citizens have realised the half-truths they convey to the public and abroad.
This dual discourse is characteristic of Algerian politics: there is a difference between what they say in international forums and what they do in secret on the world markets. In front of its citizens and Arab public opinion, Algeria describes Israel as a ‘historic enemy’. However, when it comes to business, economic interests are what really matter.
This is not an isolated case. Algeria's economy is heavily dependent on the sale of hydrocarbons and chemicals, and it does not hesitate to offer its goods wherever there are buyers, even if this contradicts its ideological stance. With regard to the ranking of Arab countries that export the most to Israel, Algeria ranks fourth, after the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Egypt.
The disparity with Morocco
On the other hand, Morocco has opted for a clear, firm and open policy in its international relations, creating strategic ties with Israel that have resulted in investment, innovation and visible cooperation. Algeria acts in secret, deceiving its own people and trying to deceive the international community.
The difference is significant: Rabat promotes transparency and open diplomacy; Algiers operates in the dark, trapped in its own contradictions.
Need for consistency
International trade is not a hidden matter. UN statistics show that Algeria has relations with Israel, even though its official discourse is different. An important question arises: how can a country demand sanctions, point fingers and present itself as a defender of Palestine, while at the same time trading with the state it claims to want to boycott?
This is the reality that needs to be revealed. Because the victims of this double game are not only the deceived Algerian citizens, but also the Palestinian cause, which is being used as a political tool to cover up a lack of consistency that the world cannot ignore.