Spanish PM Accuses Russia, Israel of Spreading Falsehoods on Migrant Crisis

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has accused Russia and Israel, alongside the international far-right, of spreading disinformation on social media that contributed to the mass influx of over 70,000 migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta last month. Sanchez stated that "Russian and Israeli networks spread these falsehoods and attacked the Spanish and European governments on a sensitive issue like irregular migration, which divides and radicalizes many European societies." He cited a key falsehood that a Spanish Supreme Court ruling meant swimmers entering Ceuta could not be returned across the border, which he clarified was incorrect. Sanchez asserted that this misinformation, amplified by external actors and crime syndicates, was based on research from the EU's External Action Service and linked to Madrid's political disputes with Moscow and Jerusalem over the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.

Sanchez emphasized that there was no evidence of Morocco's involvement in the migrant surge, noting Rabat's "immediate cooperation" with Spain. He stated that intelligence agencies did not suspect Moroccan authorities, and that Morocco had begun operational deployments on the second day of the crisis. The Spanish Prime Minister warned that undermining trust with Morocco would worsen the situation, stressing that cooperation with Rabat was essential. He also reported that over 90% of the migrants who entered Ceuta on July 30-31 have since returned to Morocco, with approximately 5,000 irregular migrants, including 1,200 unaccompanied minors, remaining.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi vehemently denied Sanchez's accusations, calling them "shameless lies" and a "gross falsehood" intended to distract from Sanchez's "shameful failure." The Spanish Prime Minister's claims also drew criticism from within his own government, with junior coalition partners accusing him of failing to criticize Morocco sufficiently and of unfairly blaming external actors. The European Commission had previously warned of foreign actors, particularly Russian ones, amplifying events related to the Ceuta crisis. Spanish officials noted that a significant portion of online discourse about the crisis was in English, portraying Spain as losing control of its borders.

The migrant crisis in Ceuta began in late July when tens of thousands of people crossed from Morocco into the Spanish territory. Spain has since returned most migrants but faces ongoing challenges, requesting further assistance from the EU and Frontex. Sanchez acknowledged that while border security was increased prior to the surge, the scale of the event was unforeseen. The Spanish government is still investigating the root causes of the mass entry.