Western Sahara : After Netanyahu, American Giant Google Plays with Moroccans’ Nerves

A small cause, a big consequence; a minor rumor, widespread panic… This time, it’s about a thorny issue with geopolitical implications: Western Sahara and its long-standing independence ambitions, reiterated for the past 50 years.

Google has been accused of removing the dividing line between Morocco and this hotly contested territory from its maps. The American tech giant formally denied the rumor on Tuesday, November 11, which had stirred social media, particularly in Morocco and Algeria.

The global leader stated that nothing had changed and that the dotted lines symbolizing the boundary between the Kingdom and Western Sahara were still there—but invisible to Google Maps users in Morocco. A clever trick, apparently, to avoid offending the subjects of King Mohammed VI, given the sensitive, central nature of this issue.

The uproar erupted just hours after the United Nations Security Council endorsed, for the first time, Morocco’s autonomy plan for Western Sahara. In the wave of enthusiasm that followed what Moroccans hailed as a “historic victory” (though the reality is far more nuanced), internet users noticed that the border had vanished…

Many local media outlets concluded that Google, in line with the U.S. resolution, had modified its mapping, routing, and geolocation software. “We have not made any changes to the maps of Morocco and Western Sahara on Google Maps,” said a spokesperson for the American company, adding that Google continues to adhere to its long-standing policy on regions under dispute.

“People using Maps outside Morocco can see Western Sahara with dotted lines,” the spokesperson added, “while those using it inside the country cannot.”

Thus, the tech giant seems to be playing with Moroccans’ nerves—just like Rabat’s ally, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The latter, known for his shrewdness, sometimes brandishes maps showing a clear separation between Morocco and Western Sahara. He reportedly does this to secure Rabat’s unwavering support, as Morocco was the first to sign the Abraham Accords in 2020.

It is worth recalling that Western Sahara was a Spanish colony until 1975 and is now about 80% controlled by Morocco. The United Nations still classifies it as a “non-self-governing territory.” For half a century, the Polisario Front, backed by Algeria, has sought to impose a political stalemate on Rabat.

Until recently, the Security Council—careful not to alienate any party—confined itself to urging Morocco, the Polisario Front, Algeria, and Mauritania to resume dialogue, which has been stalled since 2019. The international community continues to call for a “realistic, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution.”

Facing this persistent deadlock, U.S. President Donald Trump—who aspires to be seen as a global peacemaker—pulled a highly pro-Moroccan resolution out of his hat and placed it before the UN Security Council. However, Algerian diplomacy, through vigorous activism and lobbying, succeeded in pushing for significant revisions and major changes to the text.

The document reviewed by the Council’s 15 members—11 voted in favor, 3 abstained, and Algeria refused to participate—differs substantially from the plan proposed by Morocco’s King in 2007. Even the main advocate of the U.S. resolution, Massad Boulos, Trump’s senior adviser for Africa and the Middle East, publicly acknowledged the substantial amendments made to the version adopted at the UN.

In short, while the autonomy plan under Moroccan sovereignty remains the official path forward for Western Sahara, in reality, this vast desert territory—rich in phosphates and fish-laden waters—continues to be a deeply entrenched dispute with no resolution in sight.