Days later, Spain made a notable change in its policy on the disputed territory, recognizing Morocco’s proposal to make it a semi-autonomous region within the Kingdom of Morocco as the “most realistic and credible” solution to the historic dispute.
There have been many similar incidents on the border of Melilla and Ceuta, autonomous Spanish cities bordering Morocco. In one day in May 2021, about 8,000 people, including migrants and Moroccan citizens, took advantage of the absence of Moroccan security forces to enter Ceuta in the midst of the diplomatic crisis between Madrid and Rabat.
Mr Sanchez, who visited King Mohammed VI of Morocco in April, said it was important to acknowledge that “Morocco is also suffering from migratory pressures, especially from the volatile Sahel region”.
“We reject any violent attack on Melilla’s fence, as we saw today, by human trafficking mafias,” Mr Sanchez added.
Hosting next week’s NATO summit, the Spanish government has said it wants the alliance to tackle security threats from North Africa and the Sahel.
Jose Manuel Albarez, Spain’s foreign minister, this week cited “the use of illegal immigration as a weapon and energy extortion”, as well as jihadist terrorism in the Sahel, as some of the threats facing Europe from its southern flank.
Algeria, which supports Polisario forces fighting Morocco for an independent Western Sahara, has reacted to Madrid’s new position on the territorial conflict by severing economic relations with Spain, although it has cut off natural gas supplies through a pipeline. joins two countries.
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