Regarding the meeting through a staggered turn order, this is a very original interpretation of the rules :) It seems Mizrael must have exerted some "hairy paw" influence :

Recognizing territory as neutral also doesn't fit within the rules or common sense. Here, with the help of a judge, it is necessary to determine where each player's territory is, and if any player has encroached, the turn should be rolled back and repeated without the encroachment.