Paris, 1 November 2024 (SPS) - News website Afrik.com reported that Elysée's diplomatic shift—manifested through its backing of the alleged Moroccan “autonomy plan” for Western Sahara—might be driven by sensitive intelligence that Rabat covertly acquired, noting that as global criticism mounts, France risks becoming isolated on this issue.
In a Thursday article titled “Western Sahara: Is Pegasus software influencing Macron's Franco-Moroccan diplomatic stance?”, the website explored questions surrounding the diplomatic “about-face” that prompted the French president to back the alleged Moroccan “sovereignty” over Western Sahara.
In this regard, article author Hélène Bailly noted that in 2021, Le Monde and an international media consortium revealed that Macron's phone and those of several French ministers had potentially been targeted by Moroccan services using Pegasus, a Zionist spy software.
“Against the backdrop of this revelation, some analysts believe that France's diplomatic about-face might be driven by sensitive intelligence that Morocco covertly acquired,” she noted, portraying “a president deeply unsettled by espionage.”
“The Pegasus case in 2021 struck the Elysée with an unprecedented intensity, rarely seen in previous espionage revelations. Emmanuel Macron, typically known for his composure, was reportedly deeply affected upon learning that his personal phone, along with those of Prime Minister Edouard Philippe and fourteen other government members, had been potential targets of Moroccan intelligence surveillance,” reported Afrik.com.