Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has accused digital networks associated with Russia and Israel of orchestrating a disinformation campaign surrounding the recent migration crisis in the North African enclave of Ceuta. According to Sánchez, both nations exploited the border emergency as a retaliatory strike against Madrid's outspoken foreign policy stances, particularly its criticism of Israel’s military campaign in the Palestinian Territories and its strong support for Ukraine.
The accusations follow a massive border surge between July 30 and 31, during which more than 72,000 migrants attempted to cross from Morocco into Ceuta, an autonomous Spanish territory located on the North African coast. The mass-crossing attempt resulted in tragedy, with Spain's national EFE news agency reporting that at least 70 people lost their lives. While the vast majority of those who crossed were promptly returned to Morocco, Sánchez revealed that approximately 5,000 migrants, including 1,200 minors, remained in Ceuta by the end of August.
Speaking to the Spanish radio network Cadena SER on Monday, Sánchez asserted that the immediate aftermath of the border rush saw an influx of coordinated rumors. He pointed to social networks linked to Russia, Israel, and the international far-right, which he accused of routinely weaponizing migration to attack Spain, destabilize Europe, and sow political division. To support his claims, the Prime Minister referenced preliminary research conducted by the European External Action Service (EEAS), the diplomatic wing of the European Union, which reportedly identified connections to Israeli and Russian networks. However, Sánchez did not provide specific details from the findings, and the EEAS did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding the research.
Sánchez framed the alleged disinformation campaigns as direct retaliation for Spain's diplomatic decisions. He argued that if Moscow and Jerusalem are actively criticizing the Spanish government over Ceuta, it is not out of genuine concern for European migration policies, but rather due to Spain's courageous stances against Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine and the actions of Israeli authorities in Gaza. Spain has been a staunch ally of Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Concurrently, Sánchez has emerged as one of the most vocal critics within the EU regarding Israel's conduct in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. During a press conference in May, Sánchez stated that while Spain condemned the initial Hamas attacks, it also condemned the genocide being perpetrated by the Israeli authorities in the Gaza Strip.
During his radio interview, the Spanish leader also addressed internal speculation regarding the role of Moroccan authorities in the border crisis. He firmly rejected claims that Rabat had facilitated or encouraged the sudden surge. This statement directly contradicted remarks made by Ceuta’s Mayor-President, Juan Jesús Vivas, who suggested in an interview with the newspaper El País that the crossings had been, if not orchestrated, at least encouraged or permitted by Morocco. Sánchez dismissed these theories entirely, characterizing Spain's bilateral cooperation with Morocco on immigration as frankly very positive and emphasizing that the ongoing situation can only be resolved through mutual cooperation. In the days following the July surge, a Moroccan official had similarly blamed the incident on the malicious exploitation of digital platforms and the spread of misleading online information.
The reaction from Israel was swift and severe. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Sánchez's allegations, calling them brazen lies. Writing on the social media platform X, Saar accused the Spanish Prime Minister of lying shamelessly to distract from his own domestic policy failures. Saar argued that continuing to spread defamatory lies would not cover up what he described as Sánchez's failure in managing Spain's affairs. This clash follows earlier public criticism from senior 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 migration management on X. Danon questioned why Spain continues to maintain colonial enclaves in Africa while lecturing Israel on its policies. Meanwhile, the Russian government also rejected Sánchez's allegations, with independent Russian newspaper RBC and Spanish news agency Europa Press citing anonymous Kremlin officials who denied any involvement.
The sheer scale of the July border rush has reverberated far beyond Spain, causing widespread concern 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 calling for stronger measures to deter illegal migration. The letter emphasized the collective duty of European nations to secure external borders and eliminate policies that act as pull factors. Specifically, the joint letter pointed to the regularization of very large numbers of irregular migrants as a potential pull factor. This was widely seen as a critique of Spain's ambitious regularization program introduced earlier in the year.
The Spanish amnesty program has received more than 1.1 million applications, far exceeding the initial expectation of approximately 500,000 beneficiaries. Under the terms of the scheme, undocumented migrants must prove they have been in Spain since before January 1, 2026, and have no criminal convictions to qualify for legal status. Sánchez has consistently defended the initiative against domestic and international critics, arguing that bringing undocumented residents into the formal economy allows them to pay taxes, contribute to the national welfare state, and successfully integrate into Spanish society.
