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

evening · · thread: Spain and Morocco Agree to Expedite Return of Migrants Following Surge in Ceuta

16 sources across 12 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state

Who reported this

  • Haaretz Israel · Left · Schocken family and M. DuMont Schauberg
  • The Times of Israel Israel · Centre · Seth Klarman (majority backer)
  • The Jerusalem Post Israel · Centre-right · Mirkaei Tikshoret (Eli Azur)
  • The Guardian United Kingdom · Centre-left · Scott Trust Limited
  • Financial Times United Kingdom · Centre · Nikkei Inc.
  • Reuters United Kingdom · Centre · Thomson Reuters Corporation
  • Infobae Argentina · Centre-right · Daniel Hadad
  • Politico Europe Belgium · Centre · Axel Springer SE
  • Folha de S.Paulo Brazil · Centre · Grupo Folha (Frias family)
  • Le Monde Afrique France · Centre-left · Fonds pour l'independance de la presse
  • Der Spiegel Germany · Centre-left · ~50% staff-owned
  • South China Morning Post Hong Kong · Centre-right · Alibaba Group
  • Meduza Latvia · Centre-left · Crowdfunded; exiled Russian newsroom
  • Al Jazeera Qatar · Centre-left · State-affiliated · Qatari government funded
  • El Pais Spain · Centre-left · Grupo PRISA
  • Al-Monitor United States · Centre · Jamal Daniel

What the colours mean

  • Left
  • Centre-left
  • Centre
  • Centre-right
  • Right
  • A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.

Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.

Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.

The owner of each outlet is listed as a matter of record, not as a judgement about the outlet.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has accused networks linked to Russia, Israel, and an international far right movement of spreading disinformation that fueled a mass influx of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta. Speaking to Cadena SER radio, Sanchez stated that research by the European External Action Service indicated these actors used social media to spread false claims, including a distorted interpretation of a July 8 Supreme Court ruling. These rumors falsely suggested that migrants who entered Ceuta by swimming could not be deported to Morocco. Sanchez argued that these countries sought to destabilize Spain and Europe due to Madrid's positions on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

Between July 30 and 31, approximately 70,000 to 72,000 migrants attempted to cross from Morocco into Ceuta. While the majority returned shortly after, estimates of those remaining vary between 5,000 and 10,000 people. Reports on the death toll range from 91 official deaths to claims by Moroccan NGOs of at least 141. The crisis has led to significant local tension, including protests by residents and reports of violence against migrants. In response, the Spanish government has pledged an additional 168 million euros in emergency funds for the city.

Sanchez explicitly denied any involvement by Moroccan authorities, stating that intelligence services found no evidence of their participation. This claim has been contested by Spanish opposition parties. The center right People's Party has dismissed Sanchez's allegations against foreign powers as a conspiracy theory and questioned how such a large movement of people could occur without Morocco's knowledge. Meanwhile, the center left party Sumar has suggested Morocco bears responsibility through action or omission.

International reactions have been sharp. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar called the accusations a brazen lie and a distraction from domestic failures. The Kremlin also rejected the allegations. Additionally, the crisis has strained relations within the European Union. Italy extended border controls on travelers from Spain to prevent migrants from moving further into Europe, a move Spain met with reciprocal controls on Italian travelers.

Domestically, Sanchez faced criticism regarding the role of the monarchy. While some reports suggest he criticized King Felipe VI for not visiting the city, other reports indicate he announced that the King will visit Ceuta once conditions allow. The People's Party has pressured the government to make the royal visit immediate.

How each side framed it

Left
This outlet framed the event as a geopolitical clash resulting from Spain's critical stance on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Centre-left
These outlets emphasized the humanitarian aspects, the role of the Spanish government, and the specific details of the disinformation campaign.
Centre
These outlets focused on the diplomatic friction and the specific accusations of foreign disinformation.
Centre-right
These outlets highlighted the internal political criticism of Sanchez, the potential involvement of Morocco, and the reports of sexual aggression against minors in the crisis center.

Sources

100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.