The invasion of Ceuta: Morocco's message to Spain
About 70,000 people crossed the border from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last week. Most returned, and a small part asked to stay. Dr. Yossi Harpaz of Tel Aviv University explains that behind the wave of migration lies a long-standing territorial conflict, and that there are indications that the Moroccan government encouraged the incursion to demonstrate control over the territory, using migration as a weapon.
Last week, about 70,000 people crossed the border from Morocco to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Most returned within a short time, and a small part asked to stay and migrate to Spain. Dr. Yossi Harpaz of Tel Aviv University explains that behind what appears to be a wave of migration lies a long-standing territorial conflict between Morocco and Spain, and that there are strong indications that the Moroccan government allowed and even encouraged the incursion to demonstrate control over the territory. According to him, this is the use of migration as a weapon, a phenomenon in which transit countries, usually non-democratic, exert pressure on wealthy countries. He notes that Morocco has done this in the past against Spain, and Turkey and Belarus have used similar tactics against the European Union and Poland. Harpaz adds that most of the entrants were Moroccan citizens who did not intend to migrate, but came to demonstrate sovereignty, but there were also migrants from Africa who sought asylum.