Movistar Plus+ explores Spain-Morocco 2002 crisis in new documentary series Perejil
The Spanish platform Movistar Plus+ has launched a new documentary series titled Perejil (Leila Island), a three-part production exploring the diplomatic tensions between Spain and Morocco in 2002 through a wealth of firsthand accounts.
According to Spanish media, the series reconstructs the events of the Leila Island crisis, which began on July 11, 2002, and sparked ten days of heightened tensions between the two countries. The standoff was ultimately resolved through complex diplomatic efforts involving the European Union, NATO, the United States, and France.
Directed by Tian Riba, the series draws on more than 40 testimonies, including those of key Spanish political figures who played central roles during the crisis. Among them: then-Prime Minister José María Aznar, Defense Minister Federico Trillo, Foreign Affairs Minister Ana Palacio, Spanish Intelligence Service Director Jorge Dezcallar, and Richard Armitage, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State. Senior diplomats from Spain, France, and Morocco, along with military officials and regional experts, also provide insight.
The testimonies are interwoven with dramatic reenactments and archival footage to offer what the creators describe as an «unprecedented perspective» on the events.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
17 hours ago
- Ya Biladi
Movistar Plus+ explores Spain-Morocco 2002 crisis in new documentary series Perejil
The Spanish platform Movistar Plus+ has launched a new documentary series titled Perejil (Leila Island), a three-part production exploring the diplomatic tensions between Spain and Morocco in 2002 through a wealth of firsthand accounts. According to Spanish media, the series reconstructs the events of the Leila Island crisis, which began on July 11, 2002, and sparked ten days of heightened tensions between the two countries. The standoff was ultimately resolved through complex diplomatic efforts involving the European Union, NATO, the United States, and France. Directed by Tian Riba, the series draws on more than 40 testimonies, including those of key Spanish political figures who played central roles during the crisis. Among them: then-Prime Minister José María Aznar, Defense Minister Federico Trillo, Foreign Affairs Minister Ana Palacio, Spanish Intelligence Service Director Jorge Dezcallar, and Richard Armitage, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of State. Senior diplomats from Spain, France, and Morocco, along with military officials and regional experts, also provide insight. The testimonies are interwoven with dramatic reenactments and archival footage to offer what the creators describe as an «unprecedented perspective» on the events.
Ya Biladi
3 days ago
- Ya Biladi
Europe can no longer afford to ignore Morocco-Algeria tensions, analysis warns
The European Union is «caught in an unsustainable balancing act», attempting to maintain strong bilateral ties with both Morocco and Algeria, whose diplomatic relations have been severed since 2021. This is the key takeaway from a recent analysis published by International Politics and Society (IPS), a journal of political analysis published by the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). Ignoring the «rivalry» between the two North African neighbors risks undermining Europe's own security, energy, and migration interests, warns Emmanuel Cohen-Hadria, Executive Board member of Diplomeds, a cross-Mediterranean policy group, and co-editor of a study exploring paths to cooperation between Morocco and Algeria. The solution, he argues, lies in adopting a more proactive stance on conflict resolution between Rabat and Algiers. «The EU has for too long treated the Algeria-Morocco dispute as a manageable issue», Cohen-Hadria notes. But recent regional crises have highlighted the risks of such complacency. «If the EU truly aspires to be a credible security provider, it must prioritize conflict resolution where its interests lie», he said. He urges Brussels to go beyond rhetoric by supporting discreet «track II» dialogue initiatives involving Moroccan and Algerian civil society, academics, and business leaders, aimed at gradually rebuilding trust. These initiatives refer to informal diplomacy efforts in which non-state actors engage in dialogue to reduce tensions and foster mutual understanding. The Union for the Mediterranean, an intergovernmental organization uniting 43 countries from Europe and the Mediterranean Basin, could also play a role by facilitating practical, low-profile cooperation between the two countries, even on technical matters where formal diplomatic recognition is absent.
Morocco World
3 days ago
- Morocco World
EU Official Pledges Efforts to Strengthen Unique Ties with Morocco
Rabat – Dubravka Šuica, Commissioner for the Mediterranean and Demography, renewed the importance of EU-Morocco cooperation, noting that both sides share a common goal. 'We share a unique relationship and a common goal to deepen our partnership,' she wrote on X on Tuesday, signaling an upcoming visit to Morocco. The European official made her remarks after a phone call with Morocco's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nasser Bourita, describing Morocco as a key and reliable partner for the EU. The European Union has been viewing the North African country as a strategic partner across different sectors. Officials from the EU and the bloc's member states, particularly Spain and France, have been consistently stressing the importance of partnership with Rabat in key areas such as migration management, trade, and regional security. Morocco is the EU's 18 biggest partner. In 2024, total trade in goods between the two parties reached over €60.6 billion, with EU imports from Morocco amounting to €25.3 billion. The imports were led by transport equipment, machinery, and appliances, along with vegetable products and textiles. EU's exports to Morocco, meanwhile, amounted to €35.3 billion, led by machinery and appliances. The Morocco-EU ties faced recent challenges, notably following a controversial ruling by the European Court of Justice (ECJ), which annulled the fisheries and agriculture agreement between the two parties. In October last year, the court ruled that the European Commission 'violated the right of self-determination of Western Sahara 's population' by concluding trade agreements with Morocco that included products from 'the disputed territory.' Morocco responded to the court's ruling, saying that it contained legal errors and suspicious mistakes. The ministry further argued that this indicates a 'complete misunderstanding of the realities of the case, if not a blatant political bias.' Brussels also renewed its commitment to its partnership with Morocco, adding that it seeks to uphold its long-standing, strategic, and mutually beneficial relationship with Rabat. 'The EU reiterates the high value it attaches to its strategic partnership with Morocco, which is long-standing, wide-ranging, and deep,' the statement said. In response to European officials' remarks on the importance of Morocco as a strategic ally, Bourita previously called on the EU to take action and not just words, to safeguard the partnership with Rabat. 'Morocco is waiting for the European Union to clarify how it intends to address the provocations and legal and economic pressures that Morocco is currently facing,' Bourita said in November last year. The country is expecting the EU to propose 'meaningful suggestions and solutions that reflect its commitment to this partnership,' he added. Tags: EU and MoroccoMorocco and EU
