Johannesburg – Recent media reports have highlighted a temporary delay in the entry of 160 Palestinians from Gaza into South Africa. Some international outlets portrayed the incident as hypocrisy on the part of South Africa, particularly given the nation’s leading role in the international legal challenge against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
Headlines suggesting that authorities refused to allow the Palestinians to disembark from their plane quickly spread, accompanied by commentary critical of South Africa’s stance. However, these reports failed to acknowledge the full context of the situation.
The initial delay stemmed from concerns surrounding the circumstances of their arrival. Authorities were investigating the involvement of a organization called “Al Majd Europe” in organizing these trips. These flights raised concerns among officials and civil society groups regarding potential organized displacement efforts.
South Africa’s Border Management Authority (BMA) confirmed the arrival of the 160 Palestinians at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Thursday, November 14th. This was the second such flight facilitated by “Al Majd Europe.” The first flight, carrying 176 Palestinians, arrived on October 28th.
Mmemi Mogotsi, Deputy Commissioner for Communications and Marketing at the BMA, stated that the passengers on the recent flight were initially denied entry but were later granted exemptions following verification and intervention by the Presidency.
“By the time of admission, 23 of the 160 passengers had already departed South Africa to their final destinations. Therefore, only 137 passengers’ applications to enter the country under the auspices of the Waqf Al Waqifeen Foundation were processed,” Mogotsi explained.
Mogotsi emphasized that Palestinians eligible for visa-free entry into South Africa for 90 days would be processed according to standard procedures and would be required to adhere to all entry conditions. The South African Presidency played a crucial role in resolving the situation.
