The Moroccan journalist Amine Ayoub, a member of the Middle East Forum and an outspoken supporter of Israel, has alleged that he was detained and expelled from Cuba because of his activism. In an interview with Ynetnews, the English-language portal of the Israeli outlet Ynet, Ayoub recounted that his trip to the island turned into a 32-hour ordeal under custody. He was interrogated about the Israeli stamps in his passport, disrupting his plans to travel to the Bahamas to meet his brother who resides in Houston, Texas.
Ayoub explained that he arrived in Havana from France, although he did not specify the date, and was held for four to five hours upon entry. According to his account, Cuban authorities questioned him about his time in Israel and inspected his phone. "I thought with all their peace talks and the good things they say about themselves, it would be fine. I didn't know Cuba would hate me and treat me this way," Ayoub stated.
He described being interrogated over the Israeli stamps in his passport. "They treated me like a terrorist... they detained me like a criminal," he asserted. Although he was initially allowed to stay in the country for three days, when he attempted to fly to the Bahamas, a civilian confiscated his passport, and he was informed he could not leave.
Ayoub claims he was not given a formal explanation and was taken to a cell with metal chairs, "without food or water," where he spent 32 hours under watch. "I still feel physical pain from sleeping in that place," he revealed.
Cuba's Diplomatic Stance and Past Actions
Cuba severed diplomatic relations with Israel in 1973 and recognizes the Palestine Liberation Organization as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. Since then, the Cuban government has consistently advocated for the establishment of a sovereign Palestinian state and condemned Israeli military operations as violations of international law.
In January 2024, during a United Nations debate, the Cuban government demanded an end to what it termed the genocide against the Palestinian people and proposed an international protection mission for Gaza. In July 2025, at the first ministerial summit of the Hague Group, of which Cuba is a member, the country supported the enforcement of arrest orders against Israeli leaders and banned the docking of Israeli military vessels.
Miguel Díaz-Canel has been explicit in his views. "The violence in Palestine is a result of decades of illegal Israeli occupation and colonization practices," he said in 2023, and in June of this year, he condemned "in the strongest terms" an Israeli airstrike on Iran, labeling it a threat to international peace.
While Ayoub attributes his expulsion to his pro-Israel activism, the Cuban government has not issued any public comments regarding the incident.
Understanding Cuba's Actions Against Pro-Israel Activism
Why was Amine Ayoub detained in Cuba?
Amine Ayoub claims he was detained due to his pro-Israel activism, as he was interrogated about Israeli stamps in his passport during his time in Cuba.
What is Cuba's position on Israel and Palestine?
Cuba broke off diplomatic relations with Israel in 1973 and has since supported the creation of a Palestinian state, recognizing the Palestine Liberation Organization as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
Has the Cuban government commented on Ayoub's allegations?
As of now, the Cuban government has not made any public statements regarding the claims made by Amine Ayoub about his detention and expulsion.