New Delhi, Nov. 1 -- The U.N. Security Council on Friday approved a resolution backing Morocco's claim to the disputed Western Sahara, a shift that aligns with the Trump administration's support for the North African country.

Although the vote was divided, the resolution offers the strongest endorsement yet for Morocco's plan to keep sovereignty over the territory, which also has backing from most European Union members and a growing number of African allies.

"The United States welcomes today's historic vote, which seizes upon this unique moment and builds on the momentum for a long, long overdue peace in Western Sahara," Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said in his remarks after the vote.

The resolution refers to Morocco's pla...