Israel's UN envoy calls Ceuta a 'colonial enclave' as 60,000 migrants cross into Spain; far-right minister mocks Sánchez and invites Gaza refugees

Diplomatic broadside from Israeli officials

As Spain struggled to manage the arrival of roughly 60,000 irregular migrants into its North African exclave of Ceuta, two senior Israeli figures launched parallel attacks on the government of Pedro Sánchez, exploiting the crisis to settle scores over Madrid's criticism of Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

Danny Danon, Israel's permanent representative to the United Nations, wrote on social media late on 30 July that "Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis caused by its migration policy." That claim was false: no national emergency was declared, although Ceuta's president had requested one. Danon added, "Perhaps before it continues to lecture us, it is time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa."

Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis caused by its migration policy. Perhaps before it continues to lecture us, it is time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa.

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right figure known for inflammatory statements, posted his own sarcastic message to Sánchez. "My congratulations to the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, for his deep commitment to welcoming immigration and 'human diversity'," he wrote, adding that Sánchez should "open the doors of Spain and grant refuge to the residents of Gaza who request to emigrate," calling it "an excellent opportunity to contribute a little more to Spain's 'human diversity'."

My congratulations to the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, for his deep commitment to welcoming immigration and 'human diversity'. As someone who demonstrates great concern for Hamas and the residents of Gaza, I call on him to turn words into deeds: open the doors of Spain and grant refuge to the residents of Gaza who request to emigrate.

Israel's charge in Spain steps back

Dana Erlich, Israel's chargé d'affaires in Madrid, swiftly distanced the Israeli government from Danon's remarks. "The comment made by Israel's ambassador to the UN on this matter does not represent the position of the State of Israel," she said. "We are following the situation in Ceuta closely."

The diplomatic friction followed months of tension: Sánchez was among a small number of European leaders who publicly labelled the Gaza military campaign a genocide, citing the 20,000 Palestinian children killed according to NGOs such as Save the Children, and his government closed Spanish territory to arms shipments destined for Israel.

Migrant crisis unfolds in Ceuta

On the ground, Ceuta's president Juan Jesús Vivas told reporters on Friday 31 July that an estimated 60,000 people had entered the city from Morocco since early the previous morning, walking or swimming across the border. Interior Ministry sources put the arrivals from 30 July at approximately 50,000. At least 34 deaths were confirmed by Spanish authorities, while some reports cited 57 fatalities among those who tried to reach Spanish soil by sea.

By mid-morning on Friday, more than 25,000 had returned voluntarily to Morocco, with departures happening at a rate of 150 per minute. The Spanish government stressed that no formal emergency had been declared, and that the legal framework for a national state of emergency does not cover migration crises only natural or technological disasters.

Several EU member states reacted to the surge by calling for Spain's temporary suspension from the Schengen free-movement zone, though no official step had been taken.