In a rally before his supporters, Polisario leader Brahim Ghali presented his own interpretation of UN Resolution 2797, which leans in favor of Morocco. He accused «the Moroccan regime of manipulating the emotions of the Moroccan people through lies, deceit, and expansionist ambitions». Ghali claimed that Morocco has been engaged in this campaign «for 50 years, falsifying and distorting the opinion of the International Court of Justice to provide an interpretation disconnected from reality; even now, they attempt to twist the Security Council resolution [of October 31, 2025, editor's note] to their advantage». Despite his criticisms, Ghali expressed satisfaction that the UN text mentions «the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara» and the «Polisario Front». However, Resolution 2797 notably specifies, for the first time in the history of this regional conflict, that the Moroccan autonomy plan, proposed in 2007, serves as «the basis of a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable settlement», suggesting that «true autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could be one of the most realistic solutions». The resolution adopted by the Fifteen clearly urges the parties to «fully support the efforts of the Secretary-General and his personal envoy to facilitate and lead negotiations based on the autonomy plan proposed by Morocco, in order to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable settlement of the dispute, in accordance with the United Nations Charter», while «looking forward to the parties' constructive proposals regarding the autonomy plan». These are key aspects that the Polisario leader chose to overlook. It is worth noting that Algeria's representative to the United Nations expressed regret on Friday, following the adoption of Resolution 2797, that the Security Council did not consider the Polisario's proposal, which was presented in 2007 and elaborated upon in October 2025. This marks the first time since 2007 that this offer is not mentioned in a resolution by the UN executive body. This statement by Brahim Ghali comes amid a surge of messages on social media from Sahrawis in the Tindouf camps, criticizing the Polisario leadership for failing to deliver on its long-standing promise of independence, a commitment that has persisted for fifty years.
