South Africa announced that it will not accept further chartered flights carrying Palestinians following the recent arrival of 153 passengers from Gaza. The details surrounding this flight are somewhat unclear, leading to various disputes. South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola characterized the flight as part of a broader strategy to relocate Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank, an allegation that Israeli authorities have not directly addressed. However, they contend that an agreement was in place for South Africa to receive these individuals.
The Palestinian embassy in South Africa reported that the group traveled from Israel’s Ramon Airport, passing through Nairobi, without prior coordination with South African authorities. The embassy accused an unregistered organization of misleading families, collecting fees from them, and enabling their travel in an unauthorized manner. Additionally, the Palestinian foreign ministry stated it was collaborating with South Africa to manage the situation resulting from these circumstances.
Upon arrival at OR Tambo International Airport, the passengers were initially denied entry and remained on the plane for over ten hours due to a lack of departure stamps in their passports. Palestinian visitors can enter South Africa for up to 90 days without a visa. Eventually, following assistance from a local charity, 130 passengers were permitted to disembark, while 23 had already continued to other destinations.
Minister Lamola asserted that the flight appeared to be part of a systematic effort to relocate Palestinians globally. He noted that the matter was under investigation, although he did not provide further information. Two weeks prior, another flight carrying 176 Palestinians had landed in Johannesburg.
Israeli military authority Cogat later stated that the passengers had left Gaza with approval from a third country, identified as South Africa. This situation is set against a backdrop of South Africa’s long-standing support for the Palestinians, dating back to notable figures like Nelson Mandela. The South African government has been vocal in its criticism of Israel’s actions and has filed a case against it at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide in Gaza. Israel has dismissed these claims as unfounded.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp3dgkx419qo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss