Sa'ar: Spanish PM 'Lying Shamelessly' after Sanchez Blames Israel for Ceuta Disinformation

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said on Monday, August 31, that Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is "lying shamelessly" after Sanchez claimed there were signs that Israel and Russia had spread the disinformation about Spain's migration policy that triggered a rush of migrants into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in July. Sanchez "lied again, surprisingly accusing Israel of spreading false information about the events of Ceuta," Sa'ar wrote on X, calling it a "blatant lie." "Continuing to spread defamatory lies will not divert attention from Sanchez's shameful failure in managing his country's affairs," Sa'ar stated.

Over 72,000 migrants irregularly crossed from Morocco into the tiny Spanish territory between Thursday, July 30, and Friday, July 31, 2026, in an unprecedented surge at one of the European Union's only two land borders with Africa, prompting alarm across the bloc. At least 100 people died in the attempt, Ceuta's local authorities said. Videos on Instagram, TikTok, and other social media spread misleading claims that migrants reaching Ceuta by sea could remain in Spain, encouraging thousands to attempt the crossing, Spanish authorities have said.

Sanchez, speaking to a Spanish radio station, said research by the EU's diplomatic service had indicated that Russian and Israeli networks were behind the spread of disinformation in conjunction with far-right networks, but he gave no further details on the evidence. Spanish opposition parties and some human rights groups have accused Rabat of deliberately allowing the mass crossing, an accusation Morocco has denied, and Sanchez said he denies any Moroccan involvement "outright." The Kremlin also rejected the allegation that Russia was connected to the crisis.

(JPost/VFI News)

"Save me, LORD, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues." – Psalm 120:2