Spanish minister accuses Israel of fueling Ceuta migration crisis as tensions escalate
Relations between Spain and Israel deteriorated further on Friday after a Spanish cabinet minister appeared to suggest that Israel was behind the migration crisis in Ceuta, the Spanish-controlled enclave in North Africa. The accusation came after Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon criticized Spain's handling of the mass influx of migrants into the territory.
The latest exchange underscores the deepening diplomatic rift between the two countries, whose relations have steadily worsened since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. Spain has emerged as one of Israel's strongest Western critics during the conflict.
Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon accused Spain of applying double standards after Spanish authorities declared a state of emergency in Ceuta in response to a surge of migrants crossing from neighboring Morocco.
“Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy,” he wrote on 𝕏. "Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it's time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa."
Spanish Transportation Minister Óscar Puente responded by implying that Israel was seeking to destabilize Spain through the migration crisis.
“Things are starting to become quite clear,” Puente wrote on 𝕏, but he did not provide evidence to support the suggestion that Israel was involved.
Similar allegations circulated on Spanish social media and among some commentators and politicians. Political commentator Carolina Alonso alleged that Israel, working through Morocco, was attempting to pressure the Spanish government, while also suggesting the United States sought to exploit the crisis to expand its influence over the strategically important Strait of Gibraltar. She did not provide evidence for the claims.
Spanish lawmaker Gabriel Rufián, who serves as the parliamentary spokesperson for the Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), likewise suggested that Israel and the United States stood to benefit from the migration crisis as part of a broader geopolitical agenda.
The diplomatic dispute unfolded as Spain deployed troops to Ceuta after approximately 50,000 migrants from Morocco reportedly entered the Spanish enclave within 24 hours, one of the largest single-day irregular border crossings recorded in Europe. Authorities have recovered at least nine bodies of migrants who died attempting the crossing, while reports indicate that at least 60 migrants have died in recent months trying to reach Ceuta.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez condemned the influx as “an attack on Spain’s territorial integrity,” and pledged to restore law.
“All of Spain stands with the people of Ceuta. I want to thank the city’s government for the cooperation we have always maintained,” Sánchez said in a televised address to the nation.
“We will deploy every resource available to the state to guarantee security and peaceful coexistence, and our commitment to the future of the Autonomous City of Ceuta remains absolute and unwavering,” he added.
Meanwhile, Spain has led international calls for boycotts against the Jewish state.
In 2025, Sánchez referred to Israel as a “genocide state.” In March, Spain withdrew its ambassador to Israel amid deteriorating relations.
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