South Africa has announced its refusal to accept further chartered flights carrying Palestinians, following the recent arrival of 153 passengers from Gaza. This decision comes amidst differing accounts and expressed concerns from South African officials regarding the flights.
Disputed Arrivals
On Thursday, a flight transporting 153 Palestinians from Gaza landed at South Africa's OR Tambo International Airport. Initially, passengers were denied entry for over 10 hours due to a lack of departure stamps in their passports. While Palestinians are eligible for 90-day visa-free travel to South Africa, intervention from a local charity eventually facilitated entry for 130 individuals, with 23 having proceeded to other destinations. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa cited "empathy and compassion" as reasons for their eventual admittance.
The Palestinian embassy in South Africa stated the flight, which departed from Israel's Ramon Airport via Nairobi, occurred "without any prior note or coordination." The embassy also alleged that "an unregistered and misleading organization" exploited the passengers, collected funds, and orchestrated their irregular travel. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry, through its embassy, reported it is collaborating with South Africa to address the situation.
Cogat, the Israeli military body responsible for Gaza crossings, initially indicated that residents departed Gaza following approval from an unnamed "third country." Cogat later identified South Africa as the approving nation. Israeli authorities have not publicly responded to specific allegations from South Africa or the Palestinian embassy; however, they previously stated South Africa had agreed to receive the 153 Palestinians.
South African Concerns
South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola stated on Monday that the recent flight was perceived as part of "a clear agenda to cleanse Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank." Lamola further suggested the incident aligned with a "broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine into many different parts of the world," noting similar flights to other undisclosed countries, and confirmed an investigation is underway. Two weeks prior to the Thursday flight, another plane carrying 176 Palestinians landed in Johannesburg, with some passengers continuing to other countries, according to the Gift of the Givers charity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously discussed the concept of "voluntary" resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza, a proposal that has drawn criticism from Palestinians, human rights organizations, and various international bodies.
Historical Context
South Africa has maintained a long-standing position of support for the Palestinian cause, a stance rooted in the anti-apartheid era and articulated by Nelson Mandela. The nation has been critical of Israel's military operations in Gaza. In 2023, South Africa initiated a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, alleging genocide in Gaza; Israel has rejected this claim as "baseless."
Both pro-Palestinian and smaller pro-Israel demonstrations have been held in South Africa, which hosts the largest Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa.