Controversy over military intervention in Gaza divides Algeria

The tension comes amid an election campaign in which Tebboune is the candidate for re-election. The controversy stems from a statement by Tebboune, in which he said that ‘Algeria would not hand over Palestine and that the army was ready to build three hospitals in Gaza in record time.’   

Abdelkader Bengrina, leader of the Algerian National Movement for the Construction of Algeria, has sharply criticised the former leader of the Algerian Society for Peace Movement, Abdelrazak Makri, for his comments and interpretations of presidential candidate Abdelmadjid Tebboune's statement that the Algerian army is prepared to enter Gaza if Egypt were to open its borders.  

Bengrina called Makri's interpretation ‘reckless, stupid and suicidal,’ and said in a Facebook post: ‘stop being deceived, the truth is clear and will not fall for his [Makri's] conspiracies.’   

Some interpreted this as a sign that Algeria might intervene militarily in the Gaza conflict. However, Bengrina emphasised that Tebboune's message was about humanitarian aid, not military aid, to which Algerian media supported this explanation and criticised claims of military intervention.  

The media also attacked those who based their reports on what they claim to be ‘political rumours and lack of professionalism in dividing a speech into unconnected sentences in order to destabilise the current president's election campaign.’ However, given the time taken by the Algerian executive to respond, tensions have not been contained.  

Meanwhile, Makri expressed support for Tebboune's announcement, seeing it as an opportunity for Algeria to help the Palestinian resistance, including the possibility of direct military intervention if the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip were to be opened.  

In the communiqué Makri puts forward several ideas to Tebboune's call to enter Gaza. Supporting the Palestinian resistance with weapons, technology, and money, and calling on Islamic Cooperation to take a collective stance are the main measures proposed by the former leader of Algeria's Society for Peace Movement.  

‘Support the Palestinian resistance with weapons and technological capabilities, and they know how to benefit from them, just as they benefited from Al-Zawari, and support the Palestinian resistance with money, and they know how to take advantage of the consequences. Allow the organisation of popular marches in Algeria so that our people in Gaza can see our support for them, so that their morale is boosted and so that the Zionists and their allies can see that they cannot isolate Gaza on their own, and allow the organisation of protests in front of the US embassy so that Algerians can peacefully express their discontent over the involvement of the United States of America in the crime,’ reads the statement published by Makri on his social networks. 

Bengrina said that even if Tebboune's statement is misinterpreted, it is possible for Algerian authorities to negotiate with Egypt to avoid misunderstandings about Algeria's intentions.  

These words, uttered by Tebboune during his campaign, provoked an immediate reaction from the US Ambassador to Algeria, Elizabeth Moore Aubin, who contacted the Algerian Foreign Ministry to ask for an explanation. 

The Algerian government simply issued a press release reaffirming its pacifist stance and accusing the US of pressuring Algeria. The situation was further complicated by the Algerian government's lack of response and the sensitivity of Algerian society, which recalls Tebboune's strong statements on the country's sovereignty and its capacity to resist any foreign pressure, which exacerbated the controversy.  

According to the Algerian Foreign Minister's press release, Ahmed Attaf received the Ambassador of the United States of America to Algeria, Elizabeth Moore Aubin, at the headquarters of his department. In addition to issues related to bilateral cooperation, the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss international and regional developments, particularly the ongoing events in the Middle East.  

Ahmed Attaf, the communiqué continues, during this crisis ‘meeting,’ ‘renewed Algeria's commitment to contribute to the search for peaceful solutions to the various sources of crises and conflicts taking place in the areas to which Algeria belongs.  

The incident highlights diplomatic tensions between Algeria and the US, particularly as Algeria seeks to maintain its leadership in the region with the support of Russia, which sees its gateway to the Atlantic Ocean in the Sahel region, at a time when the US, Qatar and Egypt are negotiating a ceasefire in the Hamas-Israel war that is almost 11 months old since the conflict erupted following the 7 October attacks.