South Africa has granted entry to 130 Palestinians who arrived at Johannesburg without travel documents after an initial decision to bar them, according to Reuters.
Authorities are currently investigating allegations that an unregistered organization coordinated the group’s trip ‘in an irregular and irresponsible manner.’
Approving Entry for Palestinians
South Africa has long supported the Palestinian rights of establishing the Palestinian state. After the outbreak of Gaza War, South Africa filled a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in 2023 accusing Israeli military of committing a genocide in the Palestinian enclave. However, Israel has denied these accusations.
On Thursday, 153 Palestinians arrived at Johannesburg airport on a chartered Global Airways flight from Kenya. The group did not have departure stamps, return tickets or details of accommodation.
Border authorities noted that the Palestinians had not obtained asylum residence. Therefore, they initially denied their entry. So far, it remains unclear where their journey began.
Travel abroad is extremely difficult for Palestinians living in Israeli-blockaded Gaza or the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Humanitarian Intervention
The humanitarian organization Gift of the Givers has stepped in to offer accommodation and support. Then, authorities approved entry for 130 members of the group under South Africa’s standard 90-day visa exemption. Meanwhile, the remaining 23 had already departed for other destinations.
“The Palestinians had no idea where they were bundled off to, only when in Kenya did they realize they were coming to South Africa. Some had visas for Canada, Australia and Malaysia, they were eventually permitted to leave for those countries,” said Imtiaz Sooliman, chair and founder of Gift of the Givers.
Sooliman also explained that the group will have to pick up one of the following options:
- Moving to a country of their choice if that country accepts them
- Having a temporary short-stay visa for South Africa
- Securing a visitor’s visa for 90 days which can be renewed several times
- Obtaining a student visa for study purposes
- Seeking asylum
Deception Allegations Probed
The Palestinian Embassy in South Africa has informed officials that an unidentified, unregistered organization had deceived the group and then attempted to “disown any responsibility once complications arose.”
“We obviously need to look at the origins (of the 130 Palestinians’ journey), where it started, the reason why they’ve been brought here,” President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters.
Ramaphosa also noted that South African intelligence agencies, the Department of Home Affairs, and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation are now assessing the situation.
“We are going to do a proper evaluation and see what the future portends,” he added.
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