Israel revels in Spain's migrant crisis while embarrassing ally Morocco

Israel revels in Spain's migrant crisis while embarrassing ally Morocco Israel revels in Spain's migrant crisis while embarrassing ally Morocco (middleeasteye.net) Submitted by Elis Gjevori (middleeasteye.net › elis gjevori) on Sun, 08/02/2026 - 16:19 Israel and the US exploited the deaths of Moroccan migrants to punish Spain for its stance on Gaza and Iran A woman sits by a barbed-wire fence as relatives await the return of people from Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta at the Bab Sebta border crossing near Fnideq, Morocco, 2 August 2026 (Abdel Majid Bziouat/AFP) Off Israeli (middleeasteye.net › israel) political leaders have mocked and exploited the migration crisis engulfing Morocco (middleeasteye.net › morocco), an Israeli ally, and Spain (middleeasteye.net › spain), whose relations with Israel have sharply deteriorated. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, wrote on X last week 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 (middleeasteye.net). Danon's real grievance appears to be Madrid's forceful and consistent condemnation of Israel's genocide (middleeasteye.net › israel genocide gaza)against Palestinians in Gaza, along with its refusal to back the US and Israel in their war against Iran. "The involvement of official Israeli channels and associated social media accounts 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 and fellow at the Centre for European Policy Analysis, told Middle East Eye. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "This constitutes clear retaliation for Spain's firm stance on the Palestinian cause and the joint US-Israeli attacks against Iran," he added. More than 60,000 Moroccan migrants attempted to cross from Morocco into Ceuta (youtube.com › X6psw4Wp1U), a Spanish enclave in North Africa. At least 70 drowned or were crushed in the attempt, a number expected to rise. 'Why did they open the doors' Among the dead was Moroccan footballer Faten Ben Omar El Azizi (gulfnews.com), 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 in a video published by Al Ayoum 24, shortly before Faten was buried in a Tetouan cemetery. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Beyond the grief inflicted on her family, El Azizi's death exposed an uncomfortable truth about the country she represented. Morocco has emerged as something of a footballing powerhouse in recent years: its men's national team ranks sixth in the world, and the state has poured millions of dollars into developing the women's game. El Azizi belonged to the generation that investment was supposed to benefit. (middleeasteye.net) Thousands make dramatic sea crossing into Ceuta from Morocco Read More » (middleeasteye.net)