{"id":570046,"date":"2026-08-01T09:00:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T09:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/570046\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T09:00:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T09:00:13","slug":"israels-un-envoy-sparks-spain-spat-with-accusation-of-colonial-enclaves-in-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/570046\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel&#8217;s UN envoy sparks Spain spat with accusation of &#8216;colonial enclaves&#8217; in Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Diplomatic tensions flared between Spain and Israel on Friday after Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon slammed the Spanish government for its handling of the country\u2019s migrant crisis, prompting backlash in Madrid and a public rebuke from Israel\u2019s top diplomat in Spain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy,\u201d Danon wrote on X. \u201cMaybe before it continues lecturing us, it\u2019s time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in Africa.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His remarks came after tens of thousands of migrants illegally <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/at-least-18-migrants-dead-as-thousands-breach-spanish-enclave-in-north-africa\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">crossed the border<\/a> from Morocco into Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa.<\/p>\n<p>Spain\u2019s Interior Ministry said on Friday that around 50,000 people had entered Ceuta since Thursday morning, and estimated that nearly all of them, 48,000, had already turned and gone back.<\/p>\n<p>The Spanish government\u2019s representative in Ceuta said 57 bodies of people killed during the incident had been recovered on the Spanish side of the border and that there could be additional casualties on the Moroccan side.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\tGet The Times of Israel&#8217;s Daily Edition<br \/>\n\t\t\tby email and never miss our top stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\tBy signing up, you agree to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timesofisrael.com\/terms\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">terms<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u200cIt said some drowned and some were crushed while trying to climb the breakwater that holds the border fence.<\/p>\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Spain, which never misses an opportunity to lecture Israel, has declared a state of emergency in Ceuta following the crisis over its immigration policy.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe before it continues lecturing us, it\u2019s time it explained to the world why it still maintains colonial enclaves in\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Danny Danon ???????? \u05d3\u05e0\u05d9 \u05d3\u05e0\u05d5\u05df (@dannydanon) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/dannydanon\/status\/2082968903957770527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\">July 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Spanish Transportation Minister \u00d3scar Puente Santiago responded to Danon\u2019s post directly, writing, \u201cWell, things are starting to get pretty clear.\u201d\n<\/p>\n<p>Though vague, Puente\u2019s remark was largely interpreted as supporting the growing conspiracy theory that Israel and the United States helped orchestrate the large-scale migrant incursion, despite no public evidence supporting the accusation.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/static-cdn.toi-media.com\/www\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AFP__20260228__99DX4XN__v1__HighRes__UnSecurityCouncilHoldsEmergencySessionAfterUsIs.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-3764865\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AFP__20260228__99DX4XN__v1__HighRes__UnSecurityCouncilHoldsEmergencySessionAfterUsIs-640x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"375\"\/><\/a><br \/>\n\t\tIsraeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon points toward the Iranian delegation during a United Nations Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East at UN headquarters in New York on February 28, 2026. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU \/ AFP)<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is a coordinated attack between Morocco, the United States, and Israel, with the collaboration of the European and Spanish far right, as retaliation for [Prime Minister] Pedro S\u00e1nchez\u2019s trip to Algeria and, in passing, with the intention of annexing Ceuta and Melilla,\u201d Spanish political commentator Carolina Alonso wrote on X, referring to S\u00e1nchez\u2019s recent visit to Algeria, the first in four years, after relations ruptured in 2022 when Spain abandoned its longstanding neutrality on Western Sahara and backed Morocco\u2019s sovereignty claim for the disputed territory.<\/p>\n<p>Ceuta and Melilla are Spanish enclaves on Morocco\u2019s Mediterranean coast whose sovereignty is claimed by Rabat but rejected by Madrid.<\/p>\n<p>Alonso was responding to a post by Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani calling for Spain to be removed from the Schengen Area due to its migrant crisis.<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/static-cdn.toi-media.com\/www\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26212467836199.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-3871630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26212467836199-640x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"375\"\/><\/a><br \/>\n\t\tMigrants return to Morocco from the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, July 31, 2026. (AP Photo\/Antonio Sempere)<\/p>\n<p>The Schengen Area is a zone of 29 European countries that have abolished passport checks at their mutual borders, allowing passport-free travel \u2014 meaning migrants who enter Spain can more easily move onward to other participating countries.<\/p>\n<p>Italy later announced it had suspended its Schengen agreement with Spain, with Italian officials saying the suspension would take effect on Saturday and last for one month.<\/p>\n<p>The conspiracy theory surrounding Spain\u2019s migrant crisis was further promoted by spokesperson of the Republican Left of Catalonia party Gabriel Rufi\u00e1n, who wrote on X, \u201cThe Moroccan dictatorship, in the service of the US and Israel, is once again blackmailing Spain and Europe this summer by turning its own people into disposable cannon fodder.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/static-cdn.toi-media.com\/www\/uploads\/2026\/07\/AP26211576092050.jpg\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-3871555\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP26211576092050-640x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"375\"\/><\/a><br \/>\n\t\tMigrants cross from Morocco into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, July 30, 2026. (AP Photo\/Antonio Sempere)<\/p>\n<p>Following the backlash, Israel\u2019s Ambassador to Spain Dana Erlich publicly distanced Jerusalem from Danon\u2019s remarks. Writing on X in both Spanish and English, she said she was monitoring the situation in Ceuta, adding, \u201cThe comment made by Israel\u2019s Ambassador to the UN on the issue does not represent the position of the State of Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n<p lang=\"es\" dir=\"ltr\">Siguiendo de cerca la situaci\u00f3n en Ceuta.<\/p>\n<p>El comentario realizado por el embajador de Israel en la ONU sobre el tema no representa la posici\u00f3n del Estado de Israel.<\/p>\n<p>==<\/p>\n<p>Closely monitoring the situation in Ceuta. <\/p>\n<p>The comment made by Israel\u2019s Ambassador to the UN on the issue\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Dana Erlich ???????? (@DanaErlich) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/DanaErlich\/status\/2083122639313248557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" rel=\"nofollow\">July 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Jerusalem have reached an all-time high in recent years.\n<\/p>\n<p>Spain has been among Europe\u2019s most vocal critics of Israel\u2019s actions in Gaza since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, atrocities triggered the two-year-long war there. In May 2024, it formally recognized a Palestinian state, joining a growing number of European countries advocating greater international recognition of Palestinian self-determination. S\u00e1nchez, a socialist, has been at the forefront of that push, emerging as one of Europe\u2019s leading critics of Israel\u2019s conduct in the war.<\/p>\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tWe can&#8217;t do this work alone.\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img width=\"200\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/Untitled-design-4-200x200.jpg\" class=\"attachment-square size-square wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" title=\"\"\/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<p>The war with Iran has been draining for all of us in Israel. But when I heard about a high casualty incident \u2013 ballistic missile impacts in Arad and Dimona that left nearly 200 people wounded \u2013 I drank a cup of coffee, packed a bag, and headed south.<\/p>\n<p>There, I spoke with Shilgit, the head of an after-school program for underprivileged youth. Standing outside her destroyed center, Shilgit said it was a miracle that no children were hurt and spoke about the community coming together in the hours since.<\/p>\n<p>As a Times of Israel reporter, I\u2019m committed to telling stories of resilience like Shilgit\u2019s. But my colleagues and I can&#8217;t do this alone. If you value work like this, please consider joining our reader support group, The Times of Israel Community. 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Sign in to stop seeing this<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Diplomatic tensions flared between Spain and Israel on Friday after Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":570047,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[11740,85,46,213191,257819,29334,43,3800,2727],"class_list":["post-570046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-israel","tag-danny-danon","tag-il","tag-israel","tag-israel-spain-relations","tag-migrant-crisis","tag-morocco","tag-news","tag-pedro-sanchez","tag-spain"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=570046"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570046\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/570047"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=570046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=570046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=570046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}