Israel on Monday accused Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of telling a “blatant lie” after he suggested that Israeli networks were involved in spreading disinformation surrounding the recent mass influx of migrants into Ceuta.
In an interview with Spanish radio station Cadena SER, Sánchez said the migration crisis had been accompanied by a disinformation campaign involving networks linked to Russia, Israel and the international far right. He argued that these networks had sought to exploit the events in Ceuta to attack Spain and its foreign-policy positions, particularly its stance on the war in Gaza and its criticism of Israel.
Sánchez said the alleged disinformation included misleading claims about the circumstances surrounding the mass arrival of migrants in Ceuta, including the interpretation of a Spanish Supreme Court ruling that was circulated on social media.
Israel reacted strongly to the Spanish prime minister's remarks. “He lied again, accusing in a staggering manner Israel of spreading misleading information regarding the events in Ceuta. This is a blatant lie,” Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar wrote on X on Monday.
The Israeli minister added that Sánchez's accusations would not distract from what he described as the Spanish government's failures.
The dispute comes as Sánchez faces questions over the origins of the unprecedented influx of migrants into Ceuta.
However, Sánchez explicitly rejected claims that Morocco was behind the mass arrivals, saying there was no information from Spanish security services, the National Intelligence Centre (CNI), or intelligence agencies cooperating with Madrid indicating Moroccan government involvement.
On the contrary, Sánchez described Spain's current relationship with Morocco as “frankly positive”, stressing that Rabat had provided immediate and “instantaneous” cooperation during the crisis.
He argued that the situation could only be addressed through continued cooperation with Morocco rather than through suspicion or distrust.
The Spanish prime minister's comments mark an important distinction between Madrid's assessment of the migration crisis itself and its accusations concerning the disinformation surrounding it. While Spain has not publicly attributed the mass arrivals to the Moroccan authorities, Sánchez believes that the events were subsequently exploited online by foreign and far-right networks.
The crisis has placed renewed pressure on Ceuta, whose reception facilities have struggled to accommodate the large number of migrants, including a significant number of unaccompanied minors.
Sánchez has also announced additional financial support for the city and pledged continued government assistance to deal with the humanitarian and economic consequences of the crisis.
