TEL AVIV (Dispatches) -- Israeli political leaders have openly mocked Spain over a migration crisis in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta that left at least 70 Moroccan migrants dead, using the tragedy to retaliate against Madrid’s condemnation of Israel’s war in Gaza and its refusal to back U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, wrote on X with barely concealed glee: “Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy.” Spain did not declare a state of emergency in Ceuta.
Danon’s grievance appears to be Madrid’s forceful and consistent condemnation of Israel’s terrorist campaign in Gaza, along with its refusal to back the U.S. and Israel in their war against Iran.
“The involvement of official Israeli channels in amplifying anti-Spanish rhetoric in the wake of the Ceuta crisis seeks to undermine Spanish strategic positions in the Middle East and North Africa region,” Denis Cenusa, a geopolitical analyst at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, told Middle East Eye.
“This constitutes clear retaliation for Spain’s firm stance on the Palestinian cause and the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks against Iran,” he added.
More than 60,000 Moroccan migrants attempted to cross from Morocco into Ceuta, with at least 70 drowning or being crushed in the attempt — a number expected to rise. Among the dead was Moroccan footballer Faten Ben Omar El Azizi, who played for Moghreb Atletico Tetuan.
“The youth are lost… Who opened the door the first time? Why did they open it so that our children could be killed?” her mother said before Faten was buried in a Tetouan cemetery.
According to several reports, the Moroccan state headed by King Muhammad VI opened the border gates into Ceuta last Thursday. Madrid has so far avoided publicly blaming Rabat, but officials privately believe Morocco deliberately orchestrated the crisis.
Before many bodies were recovered, Israel’s terrorist insecurity minister Itamar Ben Gvir offered “congratulations” to Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez “for his profound commitment to welcoming immigration and ‘human diversity’,” adding: “As someone who demonstrates great concern for Hamas and the residents of Gaza, I call on you to open the doors of Spain and grant refuge to residents of Gaza who seek to emigrate.”
The intervention humiliated Morocco, which normalized ties with Israel in December 2020 and has treated that relationship as diplomatic leverage.
Israel and the U.S. have both started questioning Spain’s hold over Ceuta and Melilla. In Washington, a House Appropriations Committee report published in April described Ceuta and Melilla as Spanish-controlled cities “located in Moroccan territory,” urging negotiations over their status — a signal to NATO member Spain.
Spanish Transport Minister Oscar Puente shared a post stating: “Some in Washington, Tel Aviv, and Rabat… wanted images of our security forces and armed forces machine-gunning children on the beach.”