As nearly 50,000 North African migrants surged into the Spanish exclave of Ceuta overnight, one group responded with mockery and glee: Israeli politicians and their Zionist supporters, who celebrated the slap in Spanish President Pedro Sanchez’ face.
An estimated 49,000 migrants, predominantly young Moroccan men, stormed across Morocco’s border with the Spanish exclave of Ceuta between Thursday and Friday, after guards on the Moroccan side seemingly decided to open the barbed wire gates built to prevent such a surge.
As videos of the migrants marauding through Ceuta spread on social media, local authorities in the city begged for military intervention from Madrid. Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez refused to declare a national emergency, but sent a token force of 60 troops to the exclave.
Right-wing politicians across Europe condemned Sanchez’ half-hearted response, with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Finnish Interior Minister Mari Rantanen, and Austrian Chancellor Christian Stocker all calling for Spain’s exclusion from the EU’s Schengen borderless travel zone.
In certain Israeli circles, however, the reaction was one of jubilation. Although Israeli politicians and influencers have spent decades lamenting the supposed “Islamization” of Europe, they celebrated on Friday as tens of thousands of Muslims poured into EU territory. After Sanchez labeled Israel’s war on Gaza a “genocide,” banned the transit of military goods to Israeli via its territory, and denied the US use of its military bases to strike Iran, Zionist commentators viewed the invasion of Ceuta as just punishment for Spain.
Israel’s UN ambassador embraces decolonization
Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, used the crisis to call on Spain to surrender its two north African exclaves: Ceuta and Melilla.
“Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy,” he wrote on X, referring to the local emergency declaration in Ceuta. “Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it’s time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa.”
Meanwhile, Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, the Golan Heights, and parts of southern Lebanon is considered illegal under UN and international law. While Israel does not officially support Morocco’s claims to Ceuta and Melilla, the Jewish state has strengthened relations with Morocco since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s son, Yair, hinted back in 2019 that his father could “fund NGOs in [Spain] calling you to give away Ceuta and Melilla.”
Journalist celebrates the ‘Spanish punishment’
Israeli journalist Edy Cohen was far from the only reporter celebrating, but in a lengthy post on X, he presented the invasion as divine punishment for the desecration of the Israeli flag at last month’s ‘Running of the Bulls’ in Pamplona.
“When you want to destroy Israel, you get the young Moroccans,” he wrote. “They raised a banner that said ‘Destroy Israel’. Fate, with almost divine cynicism, raised another one for them: ‘Receive Morocco’.”
Cohen followed his celebratory message with a threat: “And don’t be surprised if in a few years those same young people who stormed Ceuta are the ones taking to the streets of Madrid and Barcelona shouting the new slogans… he who invites the destruction of the Jewish state suddenly discovers that destruction can also start in his own home.”
Ben-Gvir wants open borders for Spain
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir joined in the mockery, congratulating Sanchez “for his profound commitment to welcoming immigration and ‘human diversity’.”
Ben-Gvir, who has called for the destruction of Lebanon, the execution of Palestinian prisoners, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war, called on Sanchez to go further and aid in the depopulation of Gaza.
“As someone who demonstrates great concern for Hamas and the residents of Gaza,” he continued, “I call on you to translate words into actions: open the doors of Spain and grant refuge to the residents of Gaza who seek to emigrate. This is an excellent opportunity to contribute a little more to Spain’s ‘human diversity’.”
A two-state solution for Spain
Israeli influencer Yoav Kaufman posted a novel solution to the crisis on X: hand over half of Spanish territory to Morocco, in a modern re-do of the Islamic conquest of Spain. “2 States for 2 Nations. Living side by side. In peace and prosperity,” he wrote, mocking Spain’s support for Palestinian statehood.
Ironically, Kaufman describes Israel as “fighting the West’s future war” on his X profile.
The Israel lobby makes its offer
Israel’s powerful lobby in the US has also positioned itself against Spain in the argument over Ceuta. Michael Rubin, policy director at the pro-Israeli Middle East Forum think tank, suggested that “if Spain would return occupied Ceuta and Melilla to their rightful Moroccan sovereignty, Madrid would not be in this mess.” To ensure that as many people as possible heard his argument, Rubin posted in English, Spanish, Arabic, and Berber.
In an article for Israel’s Ynet news site in April, Moroccan journalist and Middle East Forum fellow Amine Ayoub called on Israel to help “Morocco recover Ceuta and Melilla,” so that the US and Israel could “punish a NATO member that has repeatedly chosen obstruction” and establish a military presence on the Strait of Gibraltar.