DAKHLA – Trawlers pack the bustling Western Saharan port of Dakhla, where fish scales glisten from workers’ arms as they roll up their nets and buyers shout bids in a sprawling auction warehouse.
Nearby, turquoise waters lap wide, nearly empty Atlantic beaches and diners sip tea in sidewalk cafes.Plans by the United States to open a consulate in Western Sahara mark a turning point for the disputed and closely policed territory in North Africa.
The U.S. move recognizes Morocco's authority over the land — in exchange for Morocco normalizing relations with Israel. Top American and Moroccan officials are in the region this weekend to lay the groundwork for the project.While this shift in U.S.