Morocco’s most prominent novelist, Tahar Ben Jelloun, has sharply criticized his country’s authorities for allowing tens of thousands of young people to approach the Ceuta border in late July. Speaking from Tangier, Ben Jelloun said he saw police officers let groups of migrants head north from Tetouan, despite Morocco’s reputation for having the Maghreb’s most effective police force. He argued that a simple intervention could have prevented the mass movement and called the inaction a failure of political judgment.
The scale and speed of arrivals at Ceuta had a major precedent: on 17-18 May 2021, around 8,000-10,000 people entered the Spanish enclave from the Moroccan border area near Fnideq in less than 48 hours, many swimming or using small boats. More than 1,500 were reported to be minors. Spain’s Interior Ministry said roughly half of those who arrived were returned to Morocco. Amnesty International later described about 5,000 returns as summary expulsions without adequate asylum screening. The returns raised questions about how border authorities identify people and preserve access to protection procedures.
The May 2021 influx unfolded amid a diplomatic dispute between Madrid and Rabat after Spain allowed Brahim Ghali, leader of the Polisario Front, to receive medical treatment in Spain. Ceuta and Melilla are Spain’s two North African enclaves and the European Union’s only land borders with Africa, making border enforcement there especially sensitive to bilateral tensions.
The timing of the migration surge, which coincided with Morocco’s Throne Day celebrations, raised further questions for Ben Jelloun. He noted that social media had encouraged many young people to attempt the crossing, but said the authorities’ passive response surprised him most. In his view, the situation could have been contained by sending the youths home and making clear that Ceuta offered them no opportunities.
Ben Jelloun also criticized the reaction from European leaders, particularly Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and officials in Finland and Denmark, who he said sought to punish Spain in a “hysterical” manner. Europe faces labor shortages, and countries such as Italy have quietly regularized migrants, yet Spain’s similar actions have drawn accusations of creating a “pull factor.” He called this approach hypocritical, emphasizing that Ceuta and Melilla are not part of the Schengen Area and that direct movement from Ceuta to mainland Europe without a visa is impossible.
The writer believes the backlash against Spain is driven less by migration than by political disagreements, especially over Madrid’s stance on Gaza and its support for the Palestinian people. He suggested that Spain’s government, led by Pedro Sánchez, is being targeted by European and American interests, and predicted that the Socialist Party could lose the next election so of the crisis. Ben Jelloun dismissed the idea that Sánchez’s visit to Algiers was the basic trigger, but warned that allowing the border crossing to pressure Spain over its gas deals with Algeria would be a strategic mistake for Morocco.
On Ceuta and Melilla, Ben Jelloun reiterated Morocco’s long-standing claim to the cities, calling their continued Spanish status a “geographical aberration” and describing them as Africa’s last colonial footholds. He argued that Spain cannot keep acting as if it were still in the era of Isabel la Católica and called for negotiations toward a peaceful solution. But, he acknowledged that Spanish attachment to the cities remains strong, citing a past conversation with Felipe González, and doubted that any Spanish government would willingly cede them.
Ben Jelloun described calls to exclude Morocco from hosting the 2030 World Cup over the border incident as deeply unfair. He argued that such a move would be an act of revenge by those who do not want Morocco, now an emerging economy, to gain greater influence. He acknowledged that Morocco still faces major challenges, especially in education and youth employment, which fuel the desire to migrate.
Ben Jelloun also commented on Spain’s proposed law granting nationality to Sahrawis born under Spanish administration, calling it a diplomatic concession that could create problems with Algeria. Despite current tensions, he predicted that relations between Morocco and Spain would eventually normalize because of their shared economic interests and investments, regardless of which party governs in Madrid.
The tragedy at the Ceuta breakwater, which Moroccan NGOs say claimed 141 lives, has damaged Morocco’s image, Ben Jelloun said. He described how even restaurant workers from the coast south of Ceuta left their jobs to try to cross the border, drawn by a fascination with Europe as a promised land. Yet he questioned why so many risk their lives for uncertain prospects in a Europe that, in his view, increasingly rejects migrants. The risks extend along the wider route to Spain: Caminando Fronteras estimated that 2,087 people died attempting the journey during the first six months of 2021, including on routes toward mainland Spain and the Canary Islands. The recent events have left Ben Jelloun saddened and indignant, prompting him to ask whether Morocco is failing its youth.
The July border surge was not the first mass crossing from Morocco to Ceuta to draw international attention. As detailed in a previous investigation, such movements are often coordinated through social networks and reflect deeper economic and political tensions between the two countries. Disputes over Ceuta and Melilla and shifting European migration policies continue to shape relations between Spain and Morocco as both countries deal with the latest crisis and its implications for regional stability and cooperation.
