Morocco's oil and gas exploration agreements with the Israeli company NewMed Energy sparked intense debate in the Spanish Senate on Tuesday, March 25. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares sought to reassure senators, stating that the drilling is taking place «outside Spain's territorial and jurisdictional waters», according to Iberian media. He emphasized that these matters are being addressed within a working group on maritime boundary delimitation with Morocco. «Everything related to this issue falls under international law and must be resolved in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, through mutual agreement and full respect for international law», he added. However, a senator from the Canary Coalition remained unconvinced, arguing that the Israeli explorations are taking place «in Saharan waters de facto occupied by the Moroccan government after a unilateral delimitation, which the Spanish government has failed to challenge». He referenced laws 37.17 and 38.17, published in the Official Bulletin on March 30, 2020. Since the agreement between the Moroccan government and NewMed Energy was announced, political leaders in the Canary Islands have repeatedly voiced their opposition.
