Editing Ceuta (section)

==Dispute with Morocco==
{{See also|Greater Morocco}}

The [[Cabinet of Morocco|Moroccan government]] has repeatedly called for Spain to transfer the sovereignty of Ceuta, [[Melilla]] and the ''[[plazas de soberanía]]'' to Morocco, with Spain's refusal to do so serving as a major source of tension in [[Morocco–Spain relations]]. In Morocco, Ceuta is frequently referred to as the "[[Military occupation|occupied]] Sebtah", and the Moroccan government has argued that the city, along with other Spanish territories in the region, are [[Colony|colonies]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-57305882 | title=Ceuta and Melilla: Spain's enclaves in North Africa | work=BBC News | date=4 June 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|title=Europe or Africa? A contemporary study of the Spanish North African exclaves of Ceuta and Melilla|publisher=Liverpool University Press|isbn=0-85323-985-1|year=2000|pages=XII–XIII|first=Peter|last=Gold}}</ref> One of the major arguments used by Morocco in their attempts to acquire sovereignty over Ceuta refers to the geographical position of the city, as Ceuta is an [[Enclave and exclave|exclave]] surrounded by Moroccan territory and the [[Mediterranean Sea]] and has no territorial continuity with the rest of Spain.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Castan Pinos | first= J. |date=2014 | chapter=The Spanish-Moroccan relationship: combining bonne entente with territorial disputes | editor=K. Stoklosa |title= Living on the border. European Border Regions in Comparison |page= 103 | place=Abingdon | publisher= Routledge}}</ref> This argument was originally developed by one of the founders of the Moroccan [[Istiqlal Party]], Alal-El Faasi, who openly advocated for Morocco to invade and occupy Ceuta and other North African territories under Spanish rule.<ref>{{ cite book | last=Castan Pinos|first= J. |date=2014 | title= La Fortaleza Europea: Schengen, Ceuta y Melilla|place= Ceuta|publisher= Instituto de Estudios Ceutíes|page= 61 |isbn=978-84-92627-67-7}}</ref> Spain, in line with the majority of nations in the rest of the world, has never recognized Morocco's claim over Ceuta. The official position of the [[Government of Spain|Spanish government]] is that Ceuta is an integral part of Spain, and has been since the 16th century, centuries prior to Morocco's independence from Spain and France in 1956.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2003/jun/12/worlddispatch.gibraltar |title=A rocky relationship  |work=The Guardian|date= 12 June 2003|access-date=17 June 2009 | location=London | first=Giles | last=Tremlett}}</ref> The majority of Ceuta's population support continued Spanish sovereignty and are opposed to Moroccan control over the territory.<ref>{{cite thesis| author= François Papet-Périn | title=La mer d'Alboran ou Le contentieux territorial hispano-marocain sur les deux bornes européennes de Ceuta et Melilla | id= 2 volumes  | degree= doctorat d'histoire contemporaine soutenue | date= 2012 |institution= Paris 1-Sorbonne }}</ref>

In 1986, Spain joined [[NATO]]. However, Ceuta is not under NATO protection since Article 6 of the [[North Atlantic Treaty]] limits such coverage to Europe and North America and islands north of the [[Tropic of Cancer]]. However, [[French Algeria]] was explicitly included in the treaty upon France's entry. Legal experts have claimed that other articles of the treaty could cover Spanish territories in North Africa but this interpretation has not been tested in practice.<ref name="Newtral">{{cite web |title=¿Están Ceuta y Melilla bajo el paraguas de la OTAN? |url=https://www.newtral.es/ceuta-melilla-otan-expertos/20211002/ |website=Newtral |access-date=25 February 2022 |language=es |date=2 October 2021 |author=Thess Móstoles}}</ref> During the [[2022 Madrid summit]], the issue of the protection of Ceuta was raised by Spain, with NATO Secretary General [[Jens Stoltenberg]] stating: "On which territories NATO protects and Ceuta and Melilla, NATO is there to protect all Allies against any threats. At the end of the day, it will always be a political decision to invoke Article 5, but rest assured NATO is there to protect and defend all Allies".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg following the meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Heads of State and Government (2022 NATO Summit)|url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_197301.htm|access-date=2023-01-14|website=NATO|language=en | date= 30 June 2022 | author1= Jens Stoltenberg | author1-link=Jens Stoltenberg | type=transcript}}</ref> On 21 December 2020, following statements made by Moroccan Prime Minister [[Saadeddine Othmani]] that Ceuta is "Moroccan as the [[Sahara]]", the Spanish government summoned the Moroccan ambassador, Karima Benyaich, to convey that Spain expects all its partners to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its territory in Africa and asked for an explanation for Othmani's words.<ref>{{Cite web|work=elDiario.es|date=21 December 2020|title=España convoca a la embajadora de Marruecos por unas declaraciones de su primer ministro sobre Ceuta y Melilla|url=https://www.eldiario.es/politica/espana-convoca-embajadora-marruecos-declaraciones-ceuta-melilla_1_6523031.html|access-date=22 December 2020|language=es}}{{pb}}{{cite web|date=22 December 2020|title=Moroccan Ambassador to Spain summoned over calls for territorial sovereignty talks|url=https://www.africanews.com/2020/12/22/moroccan-ambassador-to-spain-summoned-over-calls-for-territorial-sovereignty-talks/|access-date=22 December 2020|website=AfricaNews|language=en}}</ref>