Muslims in a part of Morocco have insisted on more religious public holidays

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The row has erupted in Ceuta and Melilla, Moroccan cities occupied by Spain, where Aid El Kebir or Sacrifice Feast was declared a public holiday in 2010, but but now they also want the day of Aid El Fitr, the end of Ramadan, to have the same recognition.

The public holiday calendar for 2017 has been finalised there has been uproar from the religious community which claims the designation of the days is "discriminatory”.

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The Muslim community, which represents about half of the population of Ceuta and Melilla, argue that, of the nine holidays in Spain, six are related to Catholicism.

Representatives of the group said such holidays include Three Wise Kings, Good Friday, the Assumption, All Saints Day, the Immaculate Conception and Christmas.

Opposition leader in Melilla, Mustafa Aberchán, told the area’s assembly the holidays ignores the wishes of thousands of Spaniards.

He said: "Why everyone enjoys a Good Friday and nobody can enjoy Aid El Fitr? That is discrimination.”

President of Melilla, Juan Jose Imbroda, accused him of trying to divide the population before the pair argued loudly over the divide issue.

Aberchán argued having Aid El Fitr as a public holiday would be "another step in the recognition of cultural diversity" in Melilla.

He said: "We want Muslims, which represent nearly half the population, to have the same right not to have nine holidays [as Christians do], but two, those we consider most important."