Even though the Moroccan State has toned down the territorial dispute over the possession of Gibraltar, the Kingdom was at the center of almost all the political solutions surrounding the Spanish-British disagreement over the control of the overseas territory. This was confirmed later through a letter that was sent in July 1940.
In April 1979, Juan Carlos was ready to cede Melilla to Morocco and entrust Ceuta to the international tutelage. This decision was initiated by the American embassy resulting in a meeting between King Hassan II and an envoy sent by Jimmy Carter.
Brahim Ghali’s hospitalization is not the only reason behind the crisis between Morocco and Spain. According to a recent report by the Spanish government, more reasons are behind the current crisis.
Opposition parties have criticized the government's handling of the migration crisis between Fnideq and Sebta. FGD and Istiqlal pointed to insufficient development policies in the northern regions.