Spanish PM says Russia, Israel spread disinformation during Ceuta migrant crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Monday that Russia and Israel spread and amplified disinformation surrounding the mass arrival of migrants in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta last month. Sánchez cited research by the European External Action Service, the EU’s diplomatic arm, stating it was “evident” that both countries used the crisis to criticize his government. He linked the alleged activity to Spain’s broader disputes with Moscow over the war in Ukraine and with Jerusalem over the wars in Gaza and the wider Middle East. In late July, tens of thousands of migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta, creating one of the most serious migration crises Spain has faced in years. Spanish authorities estimated that about 49,000 migrants entered the enclave within 24 hours, an episode Madrid described as a violation of its territorial sovereignty. The accusation comes against the backdrop of sharply deteriorating relations between Madrid and Jerusalem. Spain recognized a Palestinian state in 2024, and Sánchez has repeatedly accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza. Israel has strongly rejected these accusations, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office accusing the Spanish government of pursuing an “anti-Israel obsession” and recently removing Spain from a U.S.-backed civilian-military coordination center.