Aznar links Ceuta migration surge to Spain's strained ties with Israel

At a Madrid event, former premier José María Aznar argued that the current migration crisis in Ceuta is a direct consequence of Spain’s diplomatic rupture with Israel over the Gaza conflict. He presented Dana Erlich, the senior Israeli diplomatic representative in Spain, and denounced the word “genocide” when applied to Israel, labeling it as outright antisemitism. Aznar described Hamas’s large-scale assault as a terrorist action aimed at exterminating Jews, yet he refused to call Israel’s military campaign a genocide, calling it an asymmetric war.

He warned that dismissing Israel’s right to self-defence fuels antisemitic sentiment and urged Spain to restore a normalised relationship with the strategic ally. Aznar concluded that reliable partners are essential in an increasingly dangerous world and called for renewed diplomatic effort across Europe.