South Africa stated on Monday that the unexpected arrival of 153 Palestinians aboard a plane last week signified “a clear agenda to expunge Palestinians” from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The trio arrived in Johannesburg on a chartered aeroplane on Thursday, lacking departure stamps from Israel on their passports.
Reports indicated that a clandestine organisation known as Al-Majd facilitated their transit from Gaza.
“The South African government harbors suspicions regarding the circumstances of the plane’s arrival,” stated Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola to reporters.
The South African border police detained the group on the aircraft for 12 hours until President Cyril Ramaphosa granted them access with a usual 90-day visa exemption.
A first plane transporting 176 Palestinians arrived on 28 October, as reported by the local charity Gift of the Givers, which is aiding the newcomers.
“We oppose any additional flights directed towards us, as this represents a blatant agenda to expel Palestinians from Gaza, the West Bank, and surrounding regions, which South Africa vehemently opposes,” Lamola stated.
“It appears to signify a wider agenda aimed at displacing Palestinians from Palestine to various locations globally, and is evidently a coordinated operation,” he stated, without elaborating further.
Palestinians ‘deceived’
South Africa, poised to welcome global leaders at the G20 conference this weekend, is seen as a prominent advocate for the Palestinian cause.
Pretoria initiated legal proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice in 2023, alleging genocide in Gaza.
The Gift of the Givers NGO informed AFP that the Palestinians they are aiding reported having paid approximately $2,000 per individual to Al-Majd for the journey.
Representative Sarah Oosthuizen informed AFP that they were assured of a means of escape from Gaza to a nation that would accept them for safety.
Several passengers seemed to have been deceived about their ultimate destination, with some under the impression they were en route to Indonesia, Malaysia, or India, she stated.
Oosthuizen stated that the individuals in the initial group, comprising men, women, and children, were “unequivocally unaware that they were en route to South Africa.”
According to her, they departed from Israel’s Ramon Airport to Nairobi before transferring to the chartered flight to Johannesburg.
The promised lodging upon arrival was reserved for only one week, and “once they were settled in these accommodations, their communication with Al-Majd ceased,” stated Oosthuizen.
She stated that certain members of the group had informed the NGO of their desire to seek asylum.
‘Examination’
The Palestinian embassy in South Africa stated on Thursday that the flight of both groups was orchestrated by an unlicensed and deceptive organisation that took advantage of the dire humanitarian circumstances faced by our people in Gaza.
The group had “misled families, extracted funds from them, and arranged their travel in an unlawful and negligent manner,” it stated.
An activist from the pro-Palestinian Social Intifada civil society group in Johannesburg stated that Palestinians reported Al-Majd had promoted “evacuation and relocation” to individuals in Gaza via social media.
Khalid Vawda said to AFP that they were instructed to deposit funds into an account and to anticipate a one-day notice before departure.
Upon arrival at the departure site, they were escorted through the Kerem Shalom crossing, where they were required to abandon their personal possessions. They were permitted to bring only their mobile phones, the clothing they wore, and any cash in their possession,” he stated.
When AFP in Jerusalem attempted to reach Al-Majd, none of the telephone numbers provided on their website were operational. Their associated address is solely directed at the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood in East Jerusalem.
Israeli authorities informed AFP over the weekend that 153 Palestinians were permitted to exit Gaza following “approval from a third country to receive them,” although the specific country was not disclosed.
On Monday, Lamola stated that Pretoria was conducting an investigation.
