Ghana removed three Israeli nationals who arrived in Accra on Wednesday, escalating a diplomatic dispute that began after several Ghanaian travellers were allegedly mistreated at Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel.
The deportation, confirmed by Ghana’s foreign ministry, followed the detention of seven Ghanaians in Tel Aviv earlier this week. Four of them were part of an official delegation attending a cyber security conference. Ghana says the group was held for about five hours without explanation, and three members were later sent back to Accra.
The ministry described the episode as humiliating and said it had summoned a senior diplomat from the Israeli embassy to register its concern.
In a statement, the foreign ministry said Israel’s handling of Ghanaian travellers ran contrary to the friendly ties the two nations have maintained for decades.
The ministry said the government “considers the actions of the Israeli authorities as unfairly targeting Ghanaian travellers” and expects its citizens “to be treated with dignity and respect in much the same way as other governments expect Ghana to treat their nationals”.
Officials added that both sides have since agreed to work toward an amicable resolution. The Israeli embassy in Accra has not yet responded to requests for comment, according to the BBC and other outlets.
The source of the dispute remains unclear, though recent friction linked to Ghana’s public positions on Middle East issues may have contributed.
In September, Ghana condemned a series of Israeli strikes in Qatar that targeted senior Hamas officials, calling the operation a violation of international law. The month before, Accra urged Israel to allow more humanitarian access to Gaza, describing the situation there as heart breaking for civilians.
President John Mahama also sent forty tonnes of Ghana-made chocolate and cocoa products to Palestinians, reaffirming his government’s support for a two-state solution.
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Some analysts suggest Israel may view these steps as unfavourable. Ghana, however, says Israeli officials had raised a different concern, claiming the row stemmed from what they described as a lack of cooperation by Ghana’s embassy in Tel Aviv over deportation cases.
Ghana rejects that claim and insists its mission is responsive and compliant with international law.
With the deportations now completed and diplomats engaged, both governments are under pressure to ease tensions and prevent further disruption for travellers.
More dialogue between Accra and Tel Aviv is expected in the coming days as officials seek to stabilise relations after one of the sharpest public disputes between the two countries in years.