Spanish PM Accuses Russia and Israel of Spreading Migrant Crisis Disinformation

In a recent statement, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez pointed fingers at Russia and Israel for allegedly disseminating false information regarding Spain's migration policies. This disinformation campaign is believed to have contributed to the unprecedented surge of over 72,000 migrants crossing from Morocco into Ceuta at the end of July.

Despite accusations from opposition parties and some human rights organizations that Morocco facilitated this mass crossing, Sanchez firmly rejected any claims of Moroccan involvement. Speaking on radio station SER, he emphasized, "When people talk and speculate about the participation of Moroccan authorities, I deny this outright." Local authorities reported that at least 100 individuals lost their lives during the perilous journey.

Sanchez highlighted the role of social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok in spreading misleading narratives that encouraged thousands to attempt the dangerous crossing. Citing research from the EU’s diplomatic service, he mentioned that Russian and Israeli networks collaborated with far-right groups to amplify these falsehoods. The Prime Minister suggested that the two nations were leveraging the situation to criticize Spain due to its positions on the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts.

In response to the crisis, the Spanish government announced an allocation of €168 million ($195 million) in emergency funds to support Ceuta’s economy, building on a previous commitment of €180 million for longer-term recovery efforts.

Source: www.thehindu.com