Morocco's revived claim to Ceuta and Melilla is not a demand for decolonisation

Morocco's revived claim to Ceuta and Melilla is not a demand for decolonisation Submitted by Joseph Massad on Mon, 08/31/2026 - 12:36 Rabat's territorial ambitions serve its grudge against Madrid over Western Sahara while aligning with US and Israeli hostility towards Spain over its stance on Gaza A Spanish police officer stands guard as migrants wait to be registered in the Loma Colmenar district of Ceuta on 31 August 2026 (Antonio Sempere/AFP) Off The recent wave of tens of thousands of Moroccan and other African economic refugees attempting to reach the Spanish settler colony of Ceuta has renewed Moroccan demands that Spain return Ceuta and Melilla, known in Arabic as Sabtah and Maliliah, to Morocco . At least 141 people died in the crossing, while most of those who made it across were forcibly or "voluntarily" sent back. Travel from Ceuta or Melilla to mainland Spain by air or sea requires passing through Spanish passport and travel-document checkpoints, meaning that even refugees who enter the two settler colonies can travel no further.