Latest news with #CommitteefortheLiberationofCeutaandMelilla
Ya Biladi
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
The revival of the Ceuta and Melilla Liberation Committee reaches the Spanish Parliament
Following the departure of Vox's local branch in Melilla, deputies and senators from the far-right party have taken over the matter, according to Iberian media. They are now urging Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's government to clarify its capacity to respond to potential actions by a Moroccan NGO. To recall, adverse weather conditions on Saturday prevented the Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla from carrying out an operation on Leila Island (known in Spain as Perejil). Vox parliamentarians are calling on the central government to present a detailed «report» on the situation in Ceuta and Melilla, citing what they describe as «annexation threats from Morocco». Both parliamentary groups argue that «relations with Morocco are at a historic low». Vox denounces what it calls the «unilateral» closure of customs in Ceuta and Melilla, and the Committee's alleged «intention to invade Perejil islet», framing these developments as «an economic blockade on one hand, and a sovereignty threat on the other». In response, the party is demanding that the government ensure the «protection of Spanish sovereign territories, including Perejil, Alhucemas, Vélez de la Gomera, Chafarinas, Ceuta, and Melilla». Meanwhile, the latest voter intention survey by the state-run Center for Sociological Research (CIS), published last week, places Vox in third place with 18.9% support, behind the PSOE at 27% and the People's Party at 26.5%.
Ya Biladi
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Morocco : Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla rises from the ashes
Eleven years after its official dissolution, the Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla is making a comeback—this time with a new name and broader objectives. Now known as the «Coordination Committee for the Defense of the Kingdom's Causes», the group aims to promote a renewed vision, according to its spokesperson Rachid Hssaine, who spoke to Yabiladi. Asked about the timing of this revival, Hssaine explained, «The participation of a Polisario delegation at the recent congress of Spain's People's Party in Madrid was a decisive trigger for reactivating the Committee». On the choice to rebrand, he said, «This decision was prompted by developments on both the national and regional scenes. Beyond advocating for the liberation of Ceuta, Melilla, and other islets occupied by Spain, and defending the Moroccan identity of the Sahara, we are also committed to fighting separatism in the Rif, which is backed by Algeria. We aim to persuade those swayed by Algerian propaganda to reconsider their stance». The new committee is made up primarily of Rifains, a feature Hssaine says could help advance its mission. In its founding statement, the Committee accused Algeria of «sowing discord by manipulating certain actors in the Rif region». It also reminded the self-proclaimed «Rifain Nationalist Party» that «Rifains have consistently demonstrated their loyalty to the Kingdom's core values and to the Alaouite throne». Wind Foils Planned Action at Leila Islet The committee held a meeting on Friday in Fnideq, gathering representatives of Moroccan associations and diaspora groups. Additional meetings are planned this weekend in Tangier. Meanwhile, the group had intended to stage an action on Saturday at Leila islet (known in Spain as Perejil). «A group of young people was ready to take the rock, but strong winds on Saturday forced us to postpone the operation», Hssaine said. Before its 2014 dissolution, the former «Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla» organized symbolic incursions onto Mediterranean islets under Spanish control. The newly rebranded «Coordination Committee for the Defense of the Kingdom's Causes» is led by former parliamentary advisor Yahya Yahya. As a reminder, on March 11, the far-right Spanish party Vox submitted two written questions urging Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to publicly condemn Morocco's efforts to relaunch the former liberation committee.
Ya Biladi
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Vox pressures Sanchez to denounce «Ceuta and Melilla Liberation Committee»
The plan to reactivate the «Committee for the Liberation of Ceuta and Melilla» has sparked irritation among Spain's far-right. On Tuesday, March 11, the parliamentary group of Vox submitted two written questions to the government led by Pedro Sanchez, asking whether it had received formal guarantees that Morocco would not claim the two autonomous cities, according to a statement on Vox's website. The far-right party had already voiced concerns in November 2024 following reports in the Iberian media about the revival of the committee, which was dissolved in 2014. Vox accuses the «socialist government of hiding behind its supposed good relations with Morocco» instead of openly opposing the committee's creation, notably by issuing a formal diplomatic protest to the Moroccan authorities. The Sanchez government has «ignored» these steps, Vox claims. In response, the party has opted for the parliamentary route to pressure the government into clarifying its position. However, the committee's activities no longer pose the same level of threat to Spain as they did when it was led by Yahya Yahya, a former parliamentary advisor, and Said Chramti, president of the Grand Rif Association for Human Rights.
