Polisario terror bid emerges amid Ceuta crisis, deepening US-Israel-Morocco ties

US lawmakers have unveiled legislation to blacklist the Polisario Front as a terrorist group, as simmering tensions over Spain's Ceuta enclave expose deepening US and Israeli meddling in North Africa.

US Congressmen Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey and Ronny Jackson of Texas introduced the Polisario Front Terrorist Designation Act, urging the State Department to consider designating the Western Sahara independence movement as a foreign terrorist organization.

The lawmakers claimed the Polisario Front receives assistance from Iran and poses a threat to US national security, without providing any evidence.

“This bipartisan bill makes sure that once that cooperation is confirmed, we can bring the full weight of America's counterterrorism sanctions down on the Polisario Front,” Gottheimer added.

The Polisario Front was founded in 1973 to fight Spanish colonial rule in Western Sahara. After Spain withdrew from the territory in 1976, the movement proclaimed the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR), with a government-in-exile based in Algeria. Morocco subsequently took control of much of the territory, which it considers part of the kingdom.

The latest bill follows similar initiatives introduced in Congress earlier this year, including legislation sponsored by Republican Senator Ted Cruz.

Israel recognizes Morocco’s sovereignty over disputed Western Sahara

Israel announced in a letter to Morocco that it recognizes its sovereignty over the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

The push also comes as Washington continues to strengthen its strategic partnership with Rabat. In 2020, President Donald Trump recognized Morocco's sovereignty claim over Western Sahara in exchange for the kingdom's normalization of relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords.

Morocco is designated a major non-NATO ally of the United States. The Hudson Institute has argued that designating the Polisario Front as a terrorist organization would further cement the US-Morocco alliance.

Military cooperation between Morocco, the United States and Israel has also expanded. In July, Morocco became the first Arab and African country to commit forces to the so-called International Stabilization Force (ISF), which is expected to operate in Gaza in coordination with the Israeli military under the Trump administration's "Board of Peace."

Earlier this year, Israeli forces also publicly participated in Morocco's annual African Lion military exercise, jointly organized with US Africa Command, marking the first time the Israeli flag was displayed during the event's opening ceremony.

The legislation comes days after thousands of Moroccan migrants stormed the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, amid growing diplomatic tensions between Rabat and Madrid.

Spain returns 70,000 migrants to Morocco as EU backs Madrid’s response to Ceuta crisis

EU officials have backed Spain’s handling of the Ceuta migration crisis, saying the influx was exploited by smugglers and human trafficking networks.

In July, a US congressional budget report described Ceuta and Melilla as Spanish-administered cities "located in Moroccan territory" that "remain the subject of Morocco's longstanding claim," marking the first time such language appeared in a US congressional document.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has also called for Spain to be punished over Madrid's attempts to block US weapons shipments destined for Israel during the regime’s genocidal war on Gaza.

An analysis by Responsible Statecraft noted that Morocco may once again have been employing "migration blackmail" against European countries. However, it added that "this time, Israel and the United States appear to be the principal beneficiaries."

The report notes that similar episodes occurred in 2021, when Spain accused Rabat of easing border controls after Madrid opposed US recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

It added that Spain later backed Morocco's autonomy plan for the disputed territory, while the European Union has repeatedly provided Morocco with financial support in exchange for helping curb migration into Europe.

The report says the latest incident has fueled speculation that Rabat may be seeking to increase pressure on Spain over Ceuta and Melilla, territories Morocco claims as its own.

The analysis also argues that Israel and the United States stand to benefit politically from the crisis as relations with Spain have deteriorated over Madrid's criticism of Israel's war in Gaza and its refusal to support the US-Israeli war on Iran.

According to the report, military and strategic cooperation among Washington, Rabat and Tel Aviv has expanded significantly since Morocco normalized relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, strengthening a partnership that the analysis says now extends beyond Western Sahara to broader regional geopolitical issues.

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