Moroccan author and analyst Samir Bennis has responded to allegations made by Taleb Alisalem following their televised debate on Antena 3. Bennis challenged narratives targeting Morocco over the ongoing situation in Ceuta. Alisalem claimed that Bennis told him, “We will kill you, you sons of b**,” when they were leaving the studio. Bennis rejected the allegation, describing it as false and seriously defamatory.
The allegation came after Bennis had become increasingly vocal in Spanish and Moroccan media, challenging hostile narratives targeting Morocco. This was particularly following the mass crossings of July 30-31 into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, which involved tens of thousands of Moroccan migrants. Bennis has been countering allegations and claims made by Spanish news outlets and some activists promoting anti-Moroccan rhetoric and sentiment.
Bennis has particularly challenged narratives pushed by far-right figures and allied voices that seek to weaponize the Ceuta crisis to intensify pressure on Rabat. He directly confronted arguments and rhetoric targeting Morocco and questioned the narratives being promoted in Spanish public debate during his televised debate with Alisalem.
Bennis wrote that the accusations targeting him come from a person who “has gained considerable visibility in many Spanish media outlets and who, just six weeks ago, publicly used extremely aggressive rhetoric against Morocco, advocating for its economic and political destruction.” Bennis argued that Alisalem's remarks and his political links with the far right are “matters of public record that should be examined in their context.”
The political analyst stated that it is not part of his upbringing “to insult or defame anyone,” recalling how his parents gave him the best education they could. He emphasized that he learned from them how disagreements, even the deepest ones, should be addressed with arguments and not personal attacks.
Bennis expressed his commitment to continue defending Morocco “because I believe in the justice of what I defend.” He emphasized that he is “no one’s pawn,” nor does he need anyone to tell him what he should think or say. Bennis also called on Spanish authorities to pay attention to the growing deterioration of public debate surrounding Morocco and Moroccans.
Bennis stressed that disagreements are not a reason for personal attacks or insults, and that no one has the right to attempt to destroy his reputation through false accusations. He stated that freedom of expression protects criticism, including “the harshest criticism, but it should not become a license to defame, single out specific individuals, or fuel a climate of hostility that could ultimately endanger coexistence between Spaniards and Moroccans.”
Key points
- Moroccan analyst Samir Bennis rejects defamatory claims made by Taleb Alisalem following their televised debate on Antena 3.
- Bennis has been challenging hostile narratives targeting Morocco, particularly following the mass crossings into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.
- Bennis calls on Spanish authorities to address the growing deterioration of public debate surrounding Morocco and Moroccans.
