Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused networks connected to Russia and Israel of orchestrating a disinformation campaign surrounding the migration crisis in Ceuta. According to Sánchez, both nations exploited the border situation in retaliation for Madrid's outspoken foreign policy stances, specifically its support for Ukraine and its criticism of Israel's military campaign in the Palestinian Territories.
The allegations follow a massive border surge between July 30 and 31, when more than 72,000 migrants attempted to cross from Morocco into Ceuta, a Spanish autonomous territory situated on the North African coast. The mass-crossing attempt resulted in tragedy, with Spain's national news agency EFE reporting that at least 70 people died during the incidents. While the vast majority of those who crossed were subsequently returned to Morocco, Sánchez revealed that approximately 5,000 migrants remained in Ceuta by the end of August, a figure that includes 1,200 minors.
Speaking to the Spanish radio network Cadena SER on Monday, Sánchez asserted that the days following the border rush saw a coordinated spread of rumors and false narratives. "After July 30 and 31, there was a spread of rumors and disinformation from social networks linked both to Russia and to Israel, and the international far-right that always uses migration not only to attack Spain, but also to attack Europe and divide it," the prime minister stated. He noted that research conducted by the European External Action Service (EEAS), the diplomatic arm of the European Union, indicated connections to Israeli and Russian networks, though he did not provide further specific details of the findings. The EEAS did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the cited research.
Sánchez linked the alleged disinformation campaigns directly to Spain's geopolitical positions. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Spain has been a strong supporter of Kyiv. Simultaneously, Sánchez has positioned himself as one of the most prominent critics within Europe regarding Israel's military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. In May, Sánchez had reiterated Spain's stance, noting that while the country condemned the Hamas attacks, it also immediately condemned what he termed the genocide being perpetrated by Israeli authorities in the Gaza Strip. "It is evident that if Russia gets involved in spreading disinformation on this issue, or Israel also spreads disinformation on this issue, criticizing the Spanish government, it will not be because they are concerned about migration in Spain or Europe," Sánchez remarked on Monday, "but precisely because of the political positions we are taking — courageous ones, I believe — regarding the genocide in Gaza or Putin's invasion of Ukraine."
The accusations drew swift and angry reactions from Israeli officials. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar vehemently rejected the claims, labeling them "brazen lies" in a post on the social media platform X. "Prime Minister @sanchezcastejon is lying shamelessly," Saar wrote, adding that Sánchez "lied again, astonishingly accusing Israel of disseminating misleading information regarding the events in Ceuta." Saar further asserted that "continuing to spread defamatory lies will not distract from Sánchez's shameful failure in managing his country's affairs."
This clash is part of a broader pattern of public criticism from Israeli officials. On July 30, Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party, criticized Spain's border management on X. Danon wrote that Spain, "which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel," had declared a state of emergency in Ceuta. He added, "Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it's time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa." Meanwhile, the Russian government also rejected Sánchez's allegations, according to reports from Russia's independent RBC Newspaper and the Spanish news agency Europa Press, both of which cited anonymous Kremlin officials.
During his radio interview, Sánchez also addressed domestic and regional speculation regarding Morocco's role in the border surge. Semiautonomous Ceuta's Mayor-President, Juan Jesús Vivas, had previously suggested to the newspaper El País that the mass crossings appeared to have been "if not orchestrated, at least encouraged or permitted by Morocco." Sánchez, however, explicitly rejected this theory, stating, "When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, I deny this outright." He described Spain's immigration cooperation with Morocco as "frankly very positive" and maintained that the ongoing challenges can only be resolved through mutual cooperation. This aligned with statements from a Moroccan official shortly after the surge, who attributed the border rush to several factors, including the "malicious exploitation of digital platforms" and the spread of misleading online information.
The sheer scale of the border crossings in Ceuta has created political waves across the European Union. On August 1, leaders from 22 of the EU's 27 member states, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, signed a joint letter emphasizing the collective "duty to effectively deter and relentlessly combat illegal migration." The letter called for stronger external borders and urged action against policies that act as "pull factors." It specifically pointed to the regularization of large numbers of undocumented migrants as a potential pull factor, an apparent reference to a large-scale regularization program introduced by Spain earlier in the year. The Spanish amnesty scheme received more than 1.1 million applications, far exceeding the initial expectation of 500,000 beneficiaries. To qualify, applicants must prove they have no criminal convictions and have resided in Spain since before January 1, 2026. Sánchez defended the policy, arguing that granting legal status allows undocumented migrants to work legally, pay taxes, support the welfare state, and integrate more effectively into Spanish society.
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Md. Kazi Bijoy is a dedicated tech enthusiast and content creator with a passion for digital innovation. With years of experience in the tech industry, he specializes in breaking down complex topics into easy-to-understand guides. When he isn’t writing, he explores the latest gadgets and researches emerging trends in the digital world.