The ghosts of history are once again haunting the relations between Spain and Morocco. On Monday, August 24, at the Royal Palace in Rabat, the spirits of Cadi Ayyad and Al Azafi, two theologians who passed away over seven centuries ago, were invoked. During the traditional vigil celebrating the birth anniversary of the Prophet Muhammad, Moroccan Minister of Religious Affairs Ahmed Toufiq mentioned these scholars in the presence of King Mohammed VI and Crown Prince Moulay Al-Hassan. Notably, both scholars were born in Ceuta, a city that became Spanish in 1580, leading Toufiq to speak of a "sacred struggle" and "occupied cities."
This reference, which also included the enclave of Melilla, sparked an immediate reaction across the Mediterranean. The following day, media outlets from public television RTVE to the online platform Vozpopuli seized upon the remarks, interpreting them as undeniably political in nature against a backdrop of urgent security and humanitarian concerns. Over 70,000 individuals from Morocco illegally crossed into Ceuta on July 30 and 31, and thousands remain there. Although there is currently no substantial evidence to support this claim, and the government of Pedro Sanchez in Madrid vehemently denies it, suspicions linger in Spain. Many believe these massive crossings may have been "facilitated" by Moroccan authorities as a means of exerting pressure on their neighbor.
As reported by lemonde.fr.
