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Spain PM blames Russia, Israel for Ceuta migrant crisis’ disinformation

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Monday there were signs Russia and Israel had spread the disinformation over Spain’s migration policy that triggered last month’s rush of migrants into Ceuta, but no evidence of Moroccan involvement.
Over 72,000 migrants irregularly crossed ‌from Morocco into the tiny Spanish territory between July 30 and 31 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, according to Ceuta’s local authorities.

Spanish opposition parties and some human rights groups have accused Rabat of deliberately allowing the mass crossing, an accusation Morocco has denied.

“When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, ⁠I deny this outright,” Sanchez told radio station SER.

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.

A migrant overlooks a shelter set up on August 21 after police cleared a makeshift beach camp in Spain’s North African enclave of Ceuta following a mass crossing from Morocco. Photo: Reuters

Sanchez said research by the EU’s diplomatic service EEAS had indicated that Russian and Israeli ‌networks had been behind the spread of disinformation in conjunction with far-right networks.

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