South African authorities finally permitted over 150 Palestinian airline passengers to leave their aircraft Thursday night, ending a tense standoff that lasted almost 12 hours after border officials initially barred them from entering the country.
The Ministry of Home Affairs authorized the passengers’ release after Gift of the Givers, a local humanitarian organization, pledged to provide accommodation during their stay. The Border Management Authority confirmed late Thursday that the Palestinians would be processed normally, noting they qualify for South Africa’s 90-day visa-free travel arrangement. “Given that Palestinians are eligible for 90-day visa-exempt travel to South Africa, they have been processed as per normal and will be required to adhere to all conditions of entry,” the BMA stated.
The chartered aircraft carrying 153 Palestinians touched down just after 8 a.m. local time at OR Tambo International Airport, serving Johannesburg and Pretoria. Border officials prevented passengers from disembarking after discovering their passports lacked “customary departure stamps,” according to the BMA. Travelers also failed to provide information about their intended length of stay or accommodation addresses.
“Following their failure to pass the immigration test and given that none of the travellers expressed an intention to apply for asylum, they were initially denied entry,” the authority explained.
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Reports that Palestinians were held on the tarmac for hours triggered widespread anger in South Africa, which has positioned itself as a staunch advocate for Palestinian rights and is leading the International Criminal Court case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza. The Home Affairs Ministry’s decision came after Gift of the Givers committed to housing the visitors. Ultimately, 130 Palestinians entered South Africa while 23 transferred through the airport to other destinations, the BMA confirmed.
AFP reported the plane was a Global Airways charter flight that had traveled from Kenya. Imtiaz Sooliman, who founded Gift of the Givers, told the SABC public broadcaster he didn’t know who chartered the aircraft. He noted that an earlier plane carrying 176 Palestinians had arrived in Johannesburg on October 28th, with some passengers continuing to other countries.
“The families of this first group told us yesterday their family members are coming on a second plane, and nobody knew about that plane,” Sooliman explained. He described the passengers as “really distraught coming from two years of genocide.”
Based on information from Palestinians who arrived earlier, Sooliman said Israel appears to be “removing people from Gaza and sending them on chartered planes” without stamping their passports. “Israel deliberately did not stamp the passports of these poor people to exacerbate their suffering in a foreign country,” he wrote on social media. He added that other humanitarian groups are now offering support for the Palestinian visitors.