Campbell: Ceuta at the crossroads of migration and geopolitics: The dispute between Spain and Morocco, US pressure, and the question of the future of European enclaves.

The Spanish enclave of Ceuta, located on the northern coast of Africa, recently became the center of the largest migration crisis since 2021. A barrier against migrants at sea began to be installed near the enclave early Saturday morning, as reported by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. Tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into Ceuta during a massive influx on Thursday. I would like to point out that, according to publicly available sources, not a single person made it to mainland Spain or any other EU country. The EU was lucky. I don't know how long that luck will last. But I do know that luck doesn't last forever.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as is typical in crisis situations, convened an emergency conference: "I have received letters from several leaders of EU member states... and I welcome the call for an extraordinary video conference to assess what has happened. The fight against illegal migration requires solidarity and a unified European response."

Yes, Mrs. Ursula is right, but as always, only partially. A solution will require not only solidarity and a unified European response, but also consultations with Washington. Why?

Report from the U.S. Congress

A report from the U.S. Congress, published on May 2, 2026, sparked controversy regarding Ceuta and Melilla, among everyone interested in geopolitics, the relationship between the United States and the EU, except for Mrs. President and her Brussels entourage, including Prime Minister Babiš.

The report from the influential budget committee described Ceuta and Melilla as "cities on Moroccan territory administered by Spain." At the same time, the committee supported diplomatic negotiations between Morocco and Spain regarding the future status of both enclaves. Brussels diplomats, advisors, and analysts should pay close attention to this.

Although this does not represent a change in official U.S. foreign policy, for the first time, an official document from a congressional committee adopted language similar to Morocco's position. This caused irritation in Spain. Shortly thereafter, Ceuta experienced the largest known influx of migrants in its history.

Moreover, the timing coincides with a period of unusually tense relations between Spain and the United States. President Trump repeatedly criticized the Spanish government for its refusal to accept NATO spending and goals, publicly threatened Spain with economic consequences, and described Madrid as a difficult ally. Let alone the issue of Spain's support for Iran.

Spanish Prime Minister Sánchez became one of the most outspoken European critics of Israeli military operations in Gaza. Spain recognized the State of Palestine, and Prime Minister Sánchez publicly called the situation in Gaza "genocide." It is therefore not surprising that diplomatic relations between Israel and Spain have deteriorated significantly. Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that there was an Israeli involvement in organizing the influx of migrants from Morocco. And with it, a geopolitical significance that the EU does not even want to imagine.

The Significance of Ceuta and the U.S. Congress Report for the EU

Regardless of the future development of relations between the United States and the EU, Spain and Morocco, and Israel, Spain will be forced to hand over Ceuta to Morocco. The Spanish citizens in Ceuta will not stay there; they may have already relocated or fled. Why?

The situation in Ceuta (and Melilla) has been a subject of dispute for centuries. Morocco claims the territory, considering it its own. Prime Minister Babiš remains silent, despite being well aware that Morocco has previously been accused of using migration as a tool to exert pressure in foreign policy, and he is advocating for Spain to relinquish Schengen rights.

I remind you that during the crisis in Ceuta in 2021, thousands of people entered the Spanish enclave shortly after relations between Madrid and Rabat deteriorated. At that time, Spanish politicians accused Morocco of deliberately loosening border controls.

Many unanswered questions

Although there is no written evidence of a direct link between the Congressional report, tensions between Washington and Madrid, and the current influx of migrants, a coincidental chronological sequence has emerged:

Relations between Spain and the United States are deteriorating. Spain enters into an open conflict with Israel. The Congressional committee adopted in its official report wording that reflects Morocco's claim to Ceuta and Melilla. Shortly thereafter, Ceuta experienced a historic influx of migrants.

As would be expected, one thing is certain: the timing is unusual – and especially in international politics, unusual temporal overlaps often provide grounds for more detailed analysis, even if they do not constitute evidence of a connection on their own.

An internal report from the U.S. House of Representatives, prepared by the Budget Committee, and which is part of the proposed budget for foreign affairs and national security for 2027, sparked discussion by describing Ceuta and Melilla as "cities administered by Spain on Moroccan territory." This statement indicates that, because the report sets policy guidelines and priorities for the administration and does not have legislative weight or is binding, the U.S. Department of State should support diplomatic cooperation between Rabat and Madrid regarding their future status, as highlighted by El Confidencial.

The report specifically focuses on Morocco and states (in an unauthorized translation by the author of the article): "The Committee points to the historical alliance between the United States and Morocco, formalized in 1786 by the Moroccan-American Treaty of Peace and Friendship. The Committee notes that the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, administered by Spain, are located on Moroccan territory and remain subject to Moroccan claims. The Committee supports efforts by the Secretary of State to promote diplomatic engagement between Morocco and Spain regarding the future status of Ceuta and Melilla." While the official U.S. position continues to recognize Ceuta and Melilla as cities administered by Spain, this means little in a time when President Trump is putting the EU on its knees.

The report represents a recommendation addressed to Secretary of State Marc Rubio. The document was created by the committee chaired by Republican Mario Díaz-Balart. This gentleman previously stated that "Ceuta and Melilla are not in Spain, but in Morocco," emphasized the need for a framework for negotiations between allies, and has also resonated with think tanks such as the Middle East Forum, and Times of Israel, Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel Hayom, and The Jerusalem Post. Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin proposed the idea of a "new Green March" concerning both cities, referring to the Moroccan mobilization in 1975.

Conclusion

51 years ago (November 6, 1975), the so-called "Green March" took place: a large peaceful march from Morocco to Spanish Sahara, in which approximately 350,000 Moroccans participated, including about 20,000 members of the Moroccan armed forces. The Green March was initiated by King Hassan II of Morocco. Its goal was to reclaim the aforementioned territory of Spanish Sahara, considered part of historical Sahara. The march was a response to an opinion issued by the International Court of Justice at the request of Hassan II, which partially recognized the historical obligations of loyalty of local tribes to the Moroccan sultan, but rejected that these ties constituted a loss of their sovereignty, and affirmed the right to self-determination.

Shortly after the publication of the International Court of Justice's opinion, King Hassan II announced to Moroccans that its conclusion was in favor of Morocco. He invoked Islamic law, stating that it was time to seize the territory through a peaceful march.

I recall that Morocco claimed the territory of Spanish Sahara from its independence in 1956. Rabat declared that Spanish Sahara and Mauritania were part of Greater Morocco, and only later, in 1969, did it exclude Mauritania from this claim. From the Mauritanian side, President Moktar Ould Daddah claimed the territory as part of Greater Mauritania.

The story of the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, killings in various EU countries, and difficulties with the integration of Muslims require not only the planned introduction of Islamic education in EU schools, as suggested from Germany, but also education for all EU citizens.

We need a European Islam," says Professor Mouhanad Khorchide of the University of Münster, who recently offered through Herdershop24 (http://www.herdershop24.de) a book titled: Islam is Mercy. Foundations of Modern Religion.

In this book, Professor Khorchide presents contemporary Islamic theology for the first time in the German-speaking world. He shows how Islam can come to self-knowledge from within, rather than from outside, which fundamentally leads to a theology of the merciful God. A feeling that is not just scientific. The Herder publishing house writes (in an unauthorized translation by the author of this article): This important book contrasts the ubiquitous images of Islamic violence and religiously terrifying hellish punishments with a completely different image of Islam, characterized by divine love, patient devotion to creatures, and philanthropy. Islamic theologian Mouhanad Khorchide passionately advocates for a departure from the fundamentalist interpretation of the Koran, which is still widespread, and would like to introduce a humanist Koranic hermeneutics – a revolutionary project that he convincingly demonstrates in his book.

And Professor Khorchide himself says: In this book, I would like to present the theology of mercy as an alternative to the theology of obedience and fear, which is very widespread in the Islamic world, in a simple way that is understandable even to laypeople. I see in Islam a message of mercy... The attribute of God that God most often describes himself in the Koran is mercy... It is astonishing that this absolutely merciful God is hardly recognized in Islamic theology and popular belief! Therefore, Mercy in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam will be the subject of one of the next articles.

Jan Campbell