While they were not a recognised state in the same sense as Spain is, [1] Berbers have lived in Morocco for thousands of years; making Ceuta and Melilla part of their history as well. The presence of the Berbers in Morocco can be traced back 4,000 years, with today’s Berbers maintaining a similar language and customs1. Their association with this territory means that many Berbers see these cities as their land and feel they have a stronger claim to it than Spain.  1) Morris,C. ‘Who are the Morocco Berbers?’, Journey Beyond Travel, data accessed 21 January 2014  [1] This should not be surprising; our current notion of the state is a Western European invention.