Is Israel Behind Morocco's Incursion into Spain? China Examines Link to Ceuta Crisis

In academic and intelligence circles in China, a theory is being examined that the mass arrival of migrants to Ceuta was part of a hybrid warfare operation led by Morocco and Israel, aimed at destabilizing Spain. This was reported by El Mundo, without direct evidence. Colombian President Petro accused Netanyahu of responsibility for the crisis.

In academic and intelligence circles in China, a theory is being examined that the mass arrival of migrants to Ceuta was part of a hybrid warfare operation led by Morocco and Israel, aimed at destabilizing Spain and increasing pressure on the government of Pedro Sánchez. 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 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. Diplomats and analysts close to Beijing's ruling circles also wondered in private conversations whether the assault on Ceuta is related to the deterioration in Madrid-Jerusalem relations. In the background are the Sánchez government's criticism of Israel over the war in Gaza and its recognition of a Palestinian state. Colombian President Gustavo Petro joined the claims and directly accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of responsibility for the crisis, without presenting evidence. China's official media, including Xinhua and CGTN, have not publicly adopted the claim of Israeli involvement. In Beijing, the crisis is also seen as an event of geostrategic significance, given Ceuta's location at a crossroads of major shipping routes and extensive Chinese investments in Morocco.