After several days of silence following attacks from Algerian public television, the United Arab Emirates has issued a firm response. In an editorial published by the daily Al Bayane, Abu Dhabi denounces Algeria's ongoing hostility since the opening of an Emirati consulate in Laayoune, accusing it of regional meddling and inflammatory rhetoric. This marks a new chapter in the escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries. After several days of silence, the United Arab Emirates has finally responded to recent attacks from Algerian public television. Despite former Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash's call to ignore the accusations, Abu Dhabi chose to retaliate through one of its media outlets, Al Bayane. «The Algerian assault on the UAE is not a recent development, nor is it the result of a single interview or fleeting media commentary. It began when the Emirates, as a sovereign decision, opened a consulate in the Moroccan city of Laayoune—an act aimed at strengthening genuine fraternity and affirming a legitimate claim to sovereignty rooted in history and geography», Al Bayane wrote in its editorial. «Since then, the UAE has become the target of hostile rhetoric and a convenient scapegoat for Algeria's failures». According to the editorial, Algerian media have even grouped Abu Dhabi into a so-called «axis of evil», alongside Rabat and Tel Aviv. Algeria labeled an «artificial state» The newspaper hit back at a May 2 broadcast by Algerian public television that described the UAE as an «artificial state», reminding «those with short memories or selective honesty» that Algeria itself «has never been a fully sovereign state, but a land successively invaded by Moroccans, Spaniards, Turks, and French». Al Bayane also accused Algeria of «supporting militias in the region, harboring separatist movements, and sowing discord across North and West Africa—while presenting itself as an oasis of peace and wisdom». The editorial recalled comments made in April 2024 by Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, who said, «Wherever there is conflict, the money of this state (the Emirates) is there—in Mali, Libya, and Sudan». The paper also sought to debunk Algerian claims that Algiers supported the Emirates at the time of its formation on December 2, 1971. It pointed out that «Morocco was among the first countries to recognize the UAE after its unification. It swiftly established diplomatic ties and backed the federation in regional and international forums—while Algeria was consumed by internal rivalries, arguing over whether the corporal or the mujahid should rule». The war of words intensified following the April 28 broadcast of an interview with Algerian historian Mohamed Amine Belghit—who is close to the regime—on a continuous Emirati news channel. In response, public broadcaster Canal Algérie accused the UAE of launching «a serious attack on the ancestral values of the Algerian people by casting doubt on their origins and deep-rooted history. It is not only a media insult but also an assault on our values and sovereignty». Notably, in June 2018, Algeria granted management of the ports of Algiers and Djendjen to Dubai Ports World (DPW), a firm owned by the Dubai government. The concession came at a time of strained ties between Rabat and Abu Dhabi, following Morocco's refusal to join the 2017 blockade of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt.
