Is Israel behind the Moroccan invasion of Spain? China examines the connection of both to the crisis in Ceuta
The claim being examined in academic and intelligence circles in Beijing links the crisis in Ceuta, the tension between Madrid and Jerusalem, and the security ties between Israel and Morocco. In China, they wonder if the assault on the Spanish enclave was part of a planned operation, but no evidence of Israeli involvement has been presented.
In academic and intelligence circles in China, a theory is being examined according to which the mass arrival of migrants to Ceuta was part of a hybrid warfare operation led by Morocco and Israel, with the goal of destabilizing Spain and increasing pressure on the government of Pedro Sanchez. This was reported by the Spanish newspaper "El Mundo", which spoke with sources in Beijing. However, the report did not present an official intelligence document or direct evidence of Israeli involvement.
The theory was presented this week in an article published by Egyptian researcher Nadia Helmy, an expert on Chinese politics and China-Israel relations, in the magazine "Modern Diplomacy". According to her, several reports from Beijing interpret the events in Ceuta as an operation intended to increase pressure on the Spanish government, in which the Mossad was allegedly involved.
"The research centers of Chinese intelligence studied the escalation of diplomatic and political tension between Spain and Israel," claimed Helmy. According to her, the deterioration of relations between the countries could have motivated the Mossad to intervene in the crisis, exacerbate it, and even "infiltrate agents to encourage unrest and chaos among the Moroccan population."
Diplomats and analysts close to the ruling circles in Beijing also wondered in private conversations if the assault on Ceuta is related to the deterioration in relations between Madrid and Jerusalem. In the background stands the criticism by the Sanchez government of Israel due to the war-in-gaza and its recognition of a Palestinian state. A diplomat who spoke with the newspaper noted that since the establishment of relations in 2020, Israel and Morocco have become allies and deepened their security and intelligence cooperation.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro joined the claims and directly blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the crisis. According to him, Netanyahu "pays the poor to risk their lives in an attempt to reach Spain," while Morocco "surrendered to the will of a fugitive criminal who is committing genocide." Petro did not present evidence for his words.
The official media in China, including Xinhua and CGTN, did not publicly adopt the claim regarding Israeli involvement. They focused mainly on the deployment of the Spanish army, the implications of the events for the borders of the European Union, and the difficulties of the bloc to formulate a unified immigration policy.
In Beijing, they also see the crisis as an event with geo-strategic significance. Ceuta is located in an area where major shipping routes, port infrastructure, energy sources, and expanding Chinese economic presence intersect. Parallel to the close relations between Sanchez and Chinese President Xi Jinping, China has also tightened cooperation with Morocco in recent years.
Dozens of Chinese companies have announced investments of billions of dollars in factories for electric vehicle components, batteries, and strategic materials in Morocco. In Beijing, they see the country as an industrial and logistical platform from which it is possible to reach markets in Europe and Africa and even bypass some of the trade barriers imposed on direct exports from China. The Tanger-Med port, the largest in the Mediterranean and one of the central container ports in the world, has become in the process a significant hub in Chinese supply chains.
