On the question of Western Sahara, Rima Hassan's position has taken a new turn. The MEP has firmly challenged the Polisario's narrative in a recent interview. To the dismay of the Polisario and its supporters in Europe, MEP Rima Hassan remains unwavering in her stance. «I cannot accept that the situation of the Palestinian and Sahrawi peoples is the same», she stated in an interview with an Iberian media outlet, backing her position with concrete arguments. «The first concerns the genocidal objective: we are witnessing an attempt to physically erase the Palestinian people through colonization that kills daily and relentless bombings of civilians for nearly two years. The Sahara conflict, on the other hand, is frozen and unresolved. The second difference lies in the nature of the conflict. I have mentioned the regional dimension to emphasize that Palestine is undergoing colonization embedded in a Western imperialist colonialist program, which is not the case for the Sahara». Her comments mark a significant setback for the Polisario and Algeria's narrative. She further noted that «the International Court of Justice recognizes the existence of historical, cultural, and legal ties with Morocco, which is not the case for Palestinians and Israelis». Following this ICJ advisory opinion, delivered on October 16, 1975, King Hassan II launched the Green March to reclaim the Sahara. Rima Hassan therefore firmly rejects efforts by the Polisario Front and Algeria to draw parallels between Israel's occupation of Palestine and Morocco's presence in the Sahara. Rima Hassan sidesteps the Polisario In the interview, the MEP avoided endorsing a referendum in the Sahara and refrained from expressing support for the Polisario. «In my text, I wrote that the referendum did not take place, contrary to the UN's recommendations. If this solution fails due to the difficulty in forming the electoral body, direct negotiations with the Sahrawi people should be considered. I support the idea that the Sahrawi people should be able to express themselves, either through a referendum or through negotiations with Morocco and Algeria». Her response did not satisfy the Spanish journalist, who pressed further by asking if «the Sahara is in an ongoing decolonization process». Hassan sidestepped the question, replying: «What interests me are the solutions. In the same way that the Palestinians, although colonized, are now forced to negotiate with the Israelis, whether for two states or a binational state, the Sahrawi people, for their part, must be consulted and able to negotiate directly with Morocco». Once again, she avoided mentioning the Polisario, referring only to the «Sahrawi people». This omission eventually frustrated the journalist, who bluntly asked: «Do you support the Polisario Front?» Hassan responded: «I have no opinion on the Polisario Front. The conflict is actually frozen. We need to move forward in negotiations and resume dialogue. In my opinion, there is no military solution». Her words were a thinly veiled criticism of the Polisario's decision to resume armed struggle on November 13, 2020. The MEP was equally cautious when asked about Morocco's autonomy plan for Western Sahara. «It is not up to me to decide this issue or to speak on behalf of the Sahrawis. Negotiations must first be conducted with the Sahrawi people and Morocco, under the auspices of the United Nations, to reach an agreement», she explained. She also expressed optimism that «the renewal of relations between Morocco and Algeria can open a window for progress on the Sahara issue». As a reminder, King Mohammed VI invited Algerian officials to dialogue on July 29, during his Throne Day address.
