Algeria’s National People’s Assembly has begun formal debate on a draft bill seeking to classify French colonial rule from 1830 to 1962 as a crime. The bill, introduced during a plenary session, aims to legally recognize the colonial period as one of systematic oppression and dispossession. Speaker Brahim Boughali, who was authorized to present the bill, described it as more than a legal measure—calling it a defining moment in modern Algerian history that reaffirms national memory and moral responsibility toward the country’s martyrs.

Boughali accused France’s colonial administration of pursuing a deliberate project of destruction and occupation, seizing land from Algerians and distributing it to settlers. He argued that the colonial regime sought to erase Algerian identity, culture, and history. The bill is scheduled for a parliamentary vote on Wednesday.

The debate comes amid heightened diplomatic strain between Algeria and France, particularly over France’s support for Morocco’s autonomy plan in Western Sahara, which has deepened tensions between the two nations.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has declared that Israel’s ongoing aggression in Gaza and the occupied territories will never erase Palestine. In a message read by Minister Abdelmalek Tacherift during an event marking the upcoming International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, Tebboune accused Israel of violating international and human rights laws through its military actions, blockade, and destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure. He called on the international community to compel Israel to respect international law, lift the blockade on Gaza, and open all border crossings for humanitarian aid. Reaffirming Algeria’s unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, Tebboune emphasized that his country will continue to back Palestinians until they regain full sovereignty and establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.