Danon accuses Spain of hypocrisy after it deploys military to Moroccan enclave

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon accused Spain of hypocrisy on Friday after Madrid declared a state of emergency and deployed military forces to its North African enclave of Ceuta in response to a mass influx of migrants from neighboring Morocco.

In a post on X, Danon said Spain, which “never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel,” was now confronting the consequences of its own immigration policies.

“Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it’s time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa,” he wrote, referring to the Spanish territories of Ceuta and Melilla on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast.

Spain dispatched military units to Ceuta on Thursday after an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 migrants crossed into the enclave by sea and land from Morocco, according to Spanish state broadcaster TVE. Video footage showed migrants swimming around border barriers or using inner tubes to reach the city, while others forced their way through a land crossing.

The surge turned deadly, with nine bodies recovered in Ceuta on Thursday, adding to at least 60 migrants reported to have died attempting the crossing in recent months.

Juan Jesús Vivas, president of Ceuta’s regional government, called the situation “a total humanitarian and social emergency” and urged Madrid to declare a national state of emergency.

In response, the Spanish government deployed military platoons, increased naval and air assets and sent diving teams to patrol the coastline. The European Union also offered assistance through its border agency, Frontex (the European Border and Coast Guard Agency).

Ceuta and Melilla have the European Union’s only land borders with Africa. Morocco does not recognize Spanish sovereignty over either territory and considers them occupied Moroccan land.

The crisis has sparked political criticism inside Spain, with opposition leaders blaming the government’s immigration policies. Vox party leader Santiago Abascal described the influx as “an invasion,” while Popular Party leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo called the situation “desperate” and urged the government to declare a national emergency.

Danon spoke against the backdrop of increasingly strained relations between Jerusalem and Madrid. Since the start of Israel’s war against Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has emerged as one of Israel’s sharpest critics, repeatedly condemning Israeli military operations, backing sanctions against Israeli officials and supporting measures targeting Israeli communities in Judea and Samaria.