Spanish Prime Minister Blames Russia and Israel for Disinformation in Ceuta Migrant Crisis

MADRID, Aug 31 (Reuters) – Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said on Monday that there were indications Russia and Israel had disseminated disinformation about Spain’s migration policy, which sparked the recent surge of migrants into the enclave of Ceuta, while no proof of Moroccan involvement was found.

Between July 30 and 31, more than 72,000 migrants crossed irregularly from Morocco into the small Spanish territory of Ceuta, an unprecedented influx at one of the European Union’s two land borders with Africa that set off alarm throughout the bloc. Ceuta’s local authorities reported that at least 100 people died during the attempt.

Spanish opposition parties and some human rights organizations have accused Rabat of deliberately permitting the mass crossing, a claim that Morocco has denied.

“When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, I deny this outright,” Sánchez said on Radio SER.

Spanish authorities reported that videos posted on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms spread false claims that migrants arriving in Ceuta by sea could stay in Spain, which encouraged thousands to attempt the crossing.

Sánchez said research by the European Union’s diplomatic service, the EEAS, indicated that Russian and Israeli networks had been behind the disinformation campaign, which they allegedly coordinated with far‑right groups.

He said it was evident that both countries had exploited the crisis to criticise Madrid because of its stance on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, though he offered no additional details about the evidence supporting their involvement.

Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Russian Embassy in Madrid and the EEAS did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Reuters.

Rising tensions in Ceuta

Since the border rush, roughly 5,000 migrants, some of whom are seeking asylum, have remained in Ceuta, prompting near‑daily protests by locals against the Spanish government’s handling of the crisis and sporadic attacks on a makeshift camp at El Trampolín beach, police reports said.

Police arrested three Moroccan nationals on Sunday after they hurled bottles containing corrosive liquids at an army patrol in Ceuta, the news agency EFE reported, citing police sources. No injuries were reported in the incident.

On Monday, Sánchez also announced that the cabinet would allocate an additional €168 million ($195 million) in emergency funds to revive Ceuta’s economy, a sum equal to 8 % of the enclave’s gross domestic product, on top of the €180 million pledged the previous week for medium‑term recovery.

($1 = 0.8630 euros)

(Reporting by David Latona and Victoria Waldersee; Additional reporting by Jesús Aguado, Benjamín Mejías, Emma Pinedo, Pesha Magid, Lili Bayer; Editing by)

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