“Return Sebta and Melilla to Morocco”: an opinion piece published in El País sets Spain ablaze

The text was published on Saturday, 19 September, by the Spanish daily El País. It is not an editorial expressing the newspaper’s position, but an opinion piece signed by Franco-Moroccan writer Tahar Ben Jelloun.

Its author is calling on Madrid and Rabat to resume dialogue after the migration crisis in Sebta. He believes that an agreement allowing Sebta and Melilla to be “returned” to Morocco would constitute a “historic and realistic” gesture.

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The opinion piece compares the situation of the two cities with that of Gibraltar, a British territory claimed by Spain. It describes their continued presence under Spanish sovereignty as an “anachronistic aberration” and considers it abnormal for Europe’s border to be located on the African continent.

This position comes amid a particularly tense climate. The mass crossings recorded in late July in Sebta revived accusations against Rabat and returned the sovereignty of the two cities to the center of the debate. Morocco claims their return, while Madrid considers the issue non-negotiable.

The comparison with Gibraltar contested in Spain

The publication of this opinion piece in one of Spain’s leading newspapers immediately sparked controversy. Several conservative media outlets presented it as a demand from El País itself, even though it was published in its Opinion section and represents only its author’s views.

The issue also prompted responses challenging the comparison with Gibraltar. A column published by El Independiente argues that geographical proximity to Morocco is not enough to call Spanish sovereignty into question.

The controversy was also covered by El Nacional, which highlights the sensitivity of such a proposal amid the crisis between the two countries.

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Spain’s official position remains unchanged. The government asserts that Sebta and Melilla are Spanish and European cities and refuses to open any negotiations on their sovereignty. This position was reiterated again after the latest Moroccan claims concerning the two cities.