Zionist Incitement, Migration Blackmail and Makhzen Collusion: How the Occupation Is Exploiting the Ceuta Crisis Against Spain

Zionist Incitement, Migration Blackmail and Makhzen Collusion: How the Occupation Is Exploiting the Ceuta Crisis Against Spain

As Morocco intensifies migration pressure on Spain through the mass movement of migrants toward Ceuta, Israel has openly aligned itself with Rabat’s narrative, turning the crisis into a broader geopolitical campaign targeting Madrid over its positions on Gaza and Iran. The episode highlights what critics describe as an emerging axis linking Moroccan migration leverage, Israeli diplomatic backing and conservative lobbying in Washington to pressure the Spanish government.

By Dr. Hana Saada

What initially appeared to be a renewed migration crisis on Spain’s southern frontier has rapidly evolved into what many observers now describe as a sophisticated hybrid pressure campaign in which the Moroccan Makhzen’s migration strategy converges with overt Israeli diplomatic support and the geopolitical agendas of conservative circles in Washington.

Rather than representing a purely bilateral dispute between Rabat and Madrid, the unprecedented influx of more than 60,000 migrants and border crossers toward the Spanish enclave of Ceuta has increasingly become intertwined with broader regional calculations, extending well beyond migration management itself.

For analysts following developments closely, the current episode reflects an emerging convergence of interests between Morocco’s ruling establishment, Israel’s diplomatic apparatus and political actors seeking to increase pressure on Spain over its increasingly outspoken positions regarding both the war in Gaza and recent regional tensions involving Iran.

Israeli diplomacy openly echoes Rabat’s territorial narrative

The alignment became particularly visible after Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, publicly questioned Spain’s presence in Ceuta through posts published on X, referring to the Spanish enclaves in North Africa as “colonial strongholds.”

For critics, such remarks represented far more than routine diplomatic commentary.

Instead, they argue, they served two simultaneous objectives:

• applying political pressure on Madrid in response to Spain’s firm criticism of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, its opposition to the war with Iran, and restrictions affecting military shipments linked to Israel;
• providing unprecedented diplomatic legitimacy to Morocco’s longstanding territorial narrative concerning Ceuta and Melilla.

This unusually direct intervention by a senior Israeli diplomat has been interpreted by some observers as evidence of a deeper strategic understanding between Rabat and Tel Aviv.

A triangle of interests: Rabat, Tel Aviv and conservative Washington

According to commentators advancing this interpretation, recent developments illustrate the emergence of a broader geopolitical alignment involving Morocco, Israel and conservative political networks in the United States.

They argue that several parallel developments point in this direction.

Among them is what they describe as growing lobbying efforts in Washington aimed at influencing future discussions surrounding Ceuta and Melilla, coupled with increasing diplomatic coordination between Rabat and Israel on regional issues.

Within this framework, migration itself is portrayed not simply as a humanitarian challenge but as a geopolitical instrument.

Critics contend that Morocco has increasingly relied on migration pressure whenever relations with European partners experience periods of tension, while Israeli diplomatic messaging has sought to reinforce Rabat’s political position internationally.

They further argue that recent improvements in Spanish-Algerian relations—particularly following Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s strategic visit to Algeria and the strengthening of bilateral energy cooperation—have heightened sensitivities in both Rabat and Tel Aviv.

Migration, poverty and geopolitical leverage

Beyond geopolitical calculations, the crisis also reflects deep socio-economic realities inside Morocco.

Large numbers of those attempting the dangerous sea crossing are young Moroccans facing persistent unemployment, rising living costs, widening social inequalities and diminishing economic opportunities.

Critics argue that this growing social despair has created conditions in which thousands are prepared to risk their lives crossing into Europe.

According to this interpretation, internal socio-economic frustration has effectively become intertwined with external diplomatic leverage, transforming migration flows into both a humanitarian tragedy and a strategic bargaining tool.

Spain increasingly views the crisis through a geopolitical lens

Spanish officials have responded by reinforcing security deployments around Ceuta while simultaneously pursuing continued cooperation with Morocco on migration management.

However, the public intervention of Israeli officials has altered perceptions within parts of Spain’s political establishment.

Spanish Transport Minister Óscar Puente appeared to allude to this shift when responding to the Israeli ambassador’s comments by writing that “everything is now perfectly clear.”

For many observers, the statement reflected a growing belief that Spain is confronting more than a spontaneous migration emergency.

Instead, they argue, Madrid increasingly perceives the situation as part of a coordinated pressure campaign combining migration leverage, diplomatic messaging and broader geopolitical rivalries.

An ethical and diplomatic reckoning

Critics maintain that Morocco’s reliance on Israeli diplomatic support to strengthen its regional position raises broader ethical and political questions.

They argue that a government facing domestic criticism over socio-economic conditions while relying on external backing to advance territorial narratives risks further damaging its international credibility.

Whether viewed primarily through the lens of migration management, regional diplomacy or great-power competition, the Ceuta crisis now appears to extend well beyond a border dispute.

For many analysts, it has become a revealing case study of how humanitarian crises, geopolitical rivalries and diplomatic alliances increasingly intersect across the Mediterranean, with consequences reaching far beyond Spain and Morocco.