Is There an Israeli Hand Behind the Ceuta Migrant Crisis?
Thousands of migrants have crossed from Morocco to Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, over the past week. This surge in arrivals has forced local authorities to declare a state of emergency and request additional security personnel from the central government in Madrid.
Most migrants reached the European territory by swimming through breakwaters or crossing coastal barriers. Shelter facilities in Ceuta are reportedly overwhelmed by the continuous influx of arrivals.
Amidst the crisis, social media in Spain has been flooded with speculation linking the surge in migrants to statements made by several Israeli officials, according to the Jordanian media outlet, Roya News. The controversy emerged after Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, revisited the status of Ceuta and Melilla, which are Spanish territories in North Africa.
Via his X account, Danon mocked the attitude of the Spanish government, which frequently criticises Israeli policy. “Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has now declared a state of emergency in Ceuta due to its immigration policy crisis. Perhaps before continuing to lecture us, it is time for Spain to explain to the world why they still maintain colonial enclaves in Africa.”
These statements have triggered various speculations on social media. Several internet commentators and Spanish public figures suspect the migrant crisis is related to political pressure in response to Spain’s stance on the Gaza conflict and its pro-Palestinian policies. However, to date, there is no evidence to support such allegations.
Past statements by Yair Netanyahu, son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have also resurfaced widely. In May 2019, while debating Spanish support for pro-Palestinian non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Yair posted a map of Ceuta and Melilla accompanied by the message: “To the Arab and Muslim people. Want to liberate occupied Arab and Islamic territories? This is a good start!”
He subsequently responded to criticism from Spanish citizens in another post: “To the Spanish people. I see you are all angry. Ceuta and Melilla are small territories you have overseas, on another continent. Now imagine how we feel when your government asks Israel to surrender Judea and Samaria. Let us make a deal: we will not fund NGOs in your country that call for you to surrender Ceuta and Melilla, and you stop funding NGOs in our country that call for us to surrender Judea and Samaria.” Judea and Samaria are the names used by Israel to refer to the West Bank, Palestine.
So far, neither the Spanish nor the Israeli government has issued an official statement linking the surge of migrants in Ceuta to diplomatic issues between the two nations. Spanish authorities remain focused on managing the humanitarian and security impacts resulting from the increased migration flow from Morocco.