Rachid Nekkaz, an Algerian bait Morocco did not swallow

Rachid Nekkaz, an Algerian political activist and former presidential hopeful, travelled visa-free to Morocco to stoke tension in the hope of being expelled manu-military or even arrested, in an incident that could be used by Algeria to draw false syllogism. But none of that happened.

Nekkaz came all the way to Morocco to spit some Algerian venum to his followers on social media. He stood in Marrakech city center pointing to the Koutoubia minaret to say it was built by an Algerian and that Morocco “occupies” the Sahara territory.

Nekkaz, who often portrays himself as a pro-Maghreb integration activist, made public statements that put him on the same wavelength with the Algerian regime, which has for decades blocked all initiatives to promote Maghreb integration.

His statements included lies such as saying that Moroccans can visit Algeria without a visa.

The timing of his visit and provocations from within Marrakech led many observers to say that he hoped he would be arrested or expelled by force from Morocco.

None of that happened. Nekkaz was indeed heard by the Police and then let go. He could be seen in his videos enjoying a lovely Iftar near the mythical Jemaa El Fna square.

Had a Moroccan published a video from the Algerian city of Telemsan highlighting the Moroccan heritage there and denouncing Algerian support for the Polisario, he could have spent the rest of his life in Algerian jails.

The Algerian regime in particular hoped that Morocco would take the bait of arresting Nekkaz to draw a syllogism with the case of Boualem Sansal, an Algerian national who was arrested and who is facing a 10 year jail sentence on charge of undermining state security. His only crime was that he gave an interview in France mentioning the colonial nature of Algeria’s current borders with no antecedent in history.

Nekkaz has reduced himself into a puppet of a regime that once imprisoned him for his ideas. A typical Stockholm syndrome case.