According to Sánchez, the false narrative was amplified online by networks he associated with Israel and Russia.
By United with Israel Staff
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday accused social media networks linked to Israel and Russia of helping spread false information that he said contributed to a massive influx of migrants from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in late July.
Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena SER, Sánchez was asked whether authorities had determined what prompted more than 70,000 people to enter Ceuta over the course of just two days.
Sánchez said the investigation remains ongoing but claimed that one factor was the deliberate distortion of a ruling issued by Spain’s Supreme Court.
“We are continuing to investigate the causes,” Sánchez said. “The Spanish government has to act based on data and established facts. What we know so far is that a Supreme Court ruling was distorted.”
According to Sánchez, the false narrative was then amplified online by networks he associated with Israel and Russia.
“The hoax was spread on social media networks associated both with Russia and Israel and with a far-right international movement that always uses migration not only to attack Spain, but also to attack Europe,” he said.
The Spanish premier did not identify the Israeli networks he was referring to or publicly present evidence during the interview linking Israeli actors to the campaign.
He also stopped short of accusing the Israeli government of involvement, stressing that the activity did not necessarily originate with a state actor.
“The reality we are facing does not mean that it has to come from a state actor,” Sánchez said. “Unfortunately, we do not have complete knowledge of what happened and we are continuing to investigate, but the government has to work based on certainties.”
Sánchez also linked the alleged disinformation campaign to international far-right groups, accusing them of exploiting migration to attack Spain, undermine Europe and sow division across the continent.
“In any case, this falsehood was exploited and spread through social media,” Sánchez concluded. “That is what we know.”
Sánchez said roughly 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta during the crisis, with approximately nine out of 10 subsequently returning. About 5,000 migrants remained in the Spanish enclave, including some 1,200 minors, he said.
Despite the scale of the influx from Morocco, Sánchez said Spanish security services and the country’s National Intelligence Center had found no information raising doubts about the role of Moroccan authorities.
“Cooperation with Morocco is frankly positive,” he said.
Sánchez’s allegations against Israel come against the backdrop of deeply strained relations between Jerusalem and Madrid. His government has emerged as one of Israel’s harshest critics in Europe, repeatedly clashing with Jerusalem over the war in Gaza and Spain’s policies toward the Jewish state.
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