EU home affairs ministers held an emergency video summit yesterday to discuss the Ceuta crisis. By the time they met, almost all of the estimated 72,000 people who crossed into the Spanish territory last Thursday had been returned to Morocco. None were able to leave Africa and make it to the EU mainland. Logically then, the question should have turned to establishing why and how 72,000 people were allowed by Moroccan authorities to stream into the Spanish enclave.
But the ministers were not interested in asking questions - even if many politicians in Spain are. The purpose of yesterday’s meeting was damage control - to try to pretend there was European unity on this issue when there very clearly had not been. Morocco was not mentioned at all. Reportedly that was at the insistence of Spain - which is worried about Moroccan retaliation if they point the finger of blame at Rabat.
Julien Hoez and I both wrote this week about what disgraceful moment this was for Europe, so we came together today to do a Substack live to discuss the latest. I’m in Spain and based on my conversations with people here I can tell you there is abolute fury with the EU about the lack of solidarity shown. In his piece on The French Dispatch today, Julien explored the evidence for this being a hybrid attack by Morocco and why European governments are not only unwilling to investigate it, but are also paying Morocco off as a result of the crisis.
More on the leaked US State department memo that said the US should support rival claims to European overseas territories like Ceuta and the Falklands as punishment for Europe not joining the Iran War here.
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