The premise is wrong.
Ceuta and Melilla are not, and never have been, "in Morocco."
They were conquered by Portugal and Spain in the 1400s and were never under Moroccan sovereignty. Morocco's claim over them is entirely retrospective.
And while Spain did cede Gibraltar under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), the original Spanish population fled or was expelled after the British occupation.
The motto of nearby San Roque still reads: "Very Noble and Very Loyal city of San Roque, where Gibraltar lives on."
Worth noting: under the same Utrecht Treaty, Spain also ceded Menorca to Britain, and eventually got it back.
Britain accepted that, but has refused to cede back Gibraltar to Spain.
So no, Ceuta & Melilla are not equivalent to Gibraltar.
That said, I like Gibraltar as it is and have visited many times. The monkeys are cool!
Fair point.
You're right that Menorca's return was part of the Treaty of Amiens package, not a standalone decision.
But this actually reinforces my argument rather than weakening it. Even Menorca's return required negotiation, treaties, and diplomatic trade-offs over decades. Spain had to work for it.
My original argument stands. Gibraltar's status is not permanently settled by Utrecht alone, as treaties get renegotiated, territories change hands, circumstances evolve.
The deeper issue remains: Ceuta and Melilla's situation is historically and legally distinct from Gibraltar's.
One involves retrospective territorial claims by a modern state over cities it never controlled.
The other is a genuine sovereignty dispute with a living displaced population and an ongoing democratic conversation.
Always happy to chat about history stuff 🤝
The premise is wrong.
Ceuta and Melilla are not, and never have been, "in Morocco."
They were conquered by Portugal and Spain in the 1400s and were never under Moroccan sovereignty. Morocco's claim over them is entirely retrospective.
And while Spain did cede Gibraltar under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), the original Spanish population fled or was expelled after the British occupation.
The motto of nearby San Roque still reads: "Very Noble and Very Loyal city of San Roque, where Gibraltar lives on."
Worth noting: under the same Utrecht Treaty, Spain also ceded Menorca to Britain, and eventually got it back.
Britain accepted that, but has refused to cede back Gibraltar to Spain.
So no, Ceuta & Melilla are not equivalent to Gibraltar.
That said, I like Gibraltar as it is and have visited many times. The monkeys are cool!
@JailanX3@fredvries@theepicmap The main claim issue is the isthmus of Gibraltar, which wasn’t part of the Utretch Treaty.
Fun fact: you have to cross the airstrip to get in and out of Gibraltar by foot or car.
@Dr0adel0yasser@fredvries@theepicmap Respectfully disagree, Adel, as Al-Andalus has very little to do with Morocco.
I am born and bred Andalusian, btw.
The premise is wrong.
Ceuta and Melilla are not, and never have been, "in Morocco."
They were conquered by Portugal and Spain in the 1400s and were never under Moroccan sovereignty. Morocco's claim over them is entirely retrospective.
And while Spain did cede Gibraltar under the Treaty of Utrecht (1713), the original Spanish population fled or was expelled after the British occupation.
The motto of nearby San Roque still reads: "Very Noble and Very Loyal city of San Roque, where Gibraltar lives on."
Worth noting: under the same Utrecht Treaty, Spain also ceded Menorca to Britain, and eventually got it back.
Britain accepted that, but has refused to cede back Gibraltar to Spain.
So no, Ceuta & Melilla are not equivalent to Gibraltar.
That said, I like Gibraltar as it is and have visited many times. The monkeys are cool!