It is unlikely that relations between Rabat and Madrid can handle a new crisis. At the same time, the repercussions of the continued occupation of the two cities, Ceuta and Melilla, can only leave their mark on both the facade and essence of these ties. Also, The Moroccans and the Spaniards are both aware that moving through a mine field requires a point man, to lead the way. But Morocco rejects remaining silent, and from time to time it resorts to publicly stating the legal and historical facts that boost its demands for the restoration of the two cities to Moroccan sovereignty through dialogue and not confrontation. Similarly, Spain rejects taking recourse to repeating the notion that the two cities are “Spanish,” and that there is no room for negotiations about what it considers an issue of sovereignty. However, geographic reality demonstrates that the sea separating North Africa and Southern Europe is matched by a profound paradox when the attempt is made to mould logic into something that no reasonable person can accept. The Moroccan Prime Minister, Abbas Fasi, was not speaking about the issue as a leader of the Independence Party, which has been often accused by Spain of harboring old imperial dreams. However, he was speaking on behalf of the truth, which does not leave any room for counter–statements or –proclamations. Moreover, he adopted the approach of calling for dialogue, which will guarantee consolidating this truth on the ground. Between the consensus by the leading groups in Morocco, and the divergence in Spain's official positions, which range from moderate to hard-line, there is an irony that must be revealed, as it can no longer remain cloaked by superfluous dreams. The incomprehensible part of Moroccan-Spanish relations is that while it nearly adopts a strategy of trade-off with the northern neighbor, in the sense that they might progress on all bilateral and multilateral tracks, this does not apply to one specific issue, which involves the continued Spanish occupation of the two cities. Such a method can be only described as arrogant and as exercising the utmost levels of pressure. While Morocco cannot currently open a new front in the struggle in the north, as it is preoccupied with the Western Sahara issue in the south, the requirements of friendship, reconciliation and mutual understanding mean that Spain should not force its southern neighbor to submit to the policy of intimidation whenever it publicly speaks the truth. Nothing allows the logic of double standards in issues related to sovereignty. Furthermore, the element of time might not let Morocco open several fronts in the struggle at one go. But in the same way, it does not give Spain rights that it does not have to begin with, as long as its presence in Morocco is an old colonialist legacy, unacceptable in today's age, as proven by the British departure from Hong Kong and Portugal's exit from Macao. In fact, Spain itself continues to struggle with Britain, another member in the European Union, over the issue of sovereignty over Gibraltar. There are both similarities and disparities in the disputes between Madrid and London on one hand, and Spain and Morocco on the other. In the first case, there is a joint acknowledgement by Britain and Spain to look for ways to possibly end the problem, through referendum or negotiations. But in the case of Spain and Morocco, Rabat is throwing the ball in the other court and waiting for the next step, while Madrid closes off all options: no dialogue and no negotiations, just the status quo, dictated in an arrogant fashion. This exception is unacceptable. Occupation is occupation, and the land that is occupied cannot be subjected to selectivity; is it in Europe, in Africa, or elsewhere? Madrid realizes that when it raises the issue of sovereignty over Gibraltar, it finds a British side that is willing to negotiate, irrespective of who has the right to sovereignty. Thus, Spanish behavior in rejecting any dialogue with Morocco does not indicate treating the other as an equal, especially since all of the facts and developments indicate that the southern neighbor of Spain is on its way toward occupying a privileged place in its relations with the countries of the EU.
