Mystery Flights: Palestinians Arrive in South Africa Without Entry Stamps

A flight from Gaza landed at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg earlier this month, carrying 153 Palestinian passengers. The arrival has sparked a diplomatic dispute between South Africa and Israel, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the passengers’ departure from Gaza and their intended destination.

While the passengers possessed valid passports, authorities discovered they lacked exit stamps, leaving South African officials uncertain about their origin and the purpose of their travel. President Cyril Ramaphosa described the situation as involving “people from Gaza who, in some mysterious way, were put on a plane,” according to Africanews.

South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola expressed suspicion, stating that the government believes the flight is “part of a plan to empty Gaza and the West Bank,” according to Africanews. This development comes amid heightened international scrutiny of Israel’s actions in the region.

Government Expresses Concerns

Israel presents a different account of the situation, characterizing the Palestinians’ travel as “voluntary emigration,” as reported by Al Jazeera.

The Israeli defense body, COGAT, stated that the Palestinians were permitted to leave Gaza “after COGAT received approval from a third country to receive them.” A COGAT spokesperson told France24 that the third country in question was South Africa.

COGAT is the Israeli authority responsible for civilian affairs in the Palestinian territories.

Not the First Flight from Gaza

Palestinians are typically granted a three-month visa-free stay in South Africa. However, due to the inability to verify their point of origin, the passengers were initially prevented from leaving the aircraft. They remained on board for 12 hours without access to food, water, or fresh air.

Following pressure from a local aid organization, 130 passengers were granted 90-day visas, while the remainder continued their journeys to other countries.

These charter flights are undoubtedly part of a larger Israeli plan, according to Alon Liel, a former Israeli ambassador to South Africa.

“This is Israeli policy,” Liel stated.

Further Flights to South Africa

Liel believes Israel seeks to maintain control over the Gaza Strip – preferably without a Palestinian population. Having ended his official duties, the former ambassador now publicly distances himself from current government policies.

Liel suggests the flights are part of a pattern that resembles ethnic cleansing – and notes that this is not an isolated incident.

The first group traveled in May, with Fly Lili transporting Palestinians to Indonesia and Malaysia. Another flight arrived in late October, bringing 176 Palestinians to Johannesburg, some of whom continued to other countries.

How were they able to leave Gaza?

Paying Thousands of Dollars

Palestinians can normally stay in South Africa for up to three months without a visa. However, because authorities could not confirm the passengers’ origin, they were initially denied entry. They remained on the tarmac for 12 hours without food, water, or fresh air.

After pressure from a local aid organization, 130 passengers were granted 90-day visas, while the rest continued on to other countries.

The charter flights are facilitated by an organization called Al-Majd, according to reports.

Na’eem Jeenah, director of the Afro-Middle East Centre research institute in Johannesburg, has spoken with several of the families who arrived on the flights. He says the Palestinians received WhatsApp messages inviting them to register on Al-Majd’s website, promising assistance with leaving Gaza.

“They paid between $1,500 and $5,000. After that, they were given instructions on where to meet the buses,” Jeenah said.

Within a WhatsApp group, they received further travel details, met buses in Gaza, and were transported to Ramon Airport in southern Israel.

No one knew their final destination – only that they would be flown out of Gaza, Jeenah explained.

An Awkward Situation for South Africa?

South Africa has long expressed strong sympathy for the Palestinians. Last year, the country accused Israel of genocide in the Gaza Strip.

Jeenah believes the flights may be an attempt to embarrass South Africa by suggesting: “Look, you support Palestine, but you won’t take them in.”

Allegedly Sought Defense Assistance

The Palestinian embassy in South Africa describes Al Majd as “an unregistered and misleading organization” that has exploited the situation, deceived families, collected money, and organized the trips irresponsibly.

On its website, Al-Majd describes itself as a humanitarian organization dedicated to helping those in conflict zones, aiming to “provide assistance and help Muslim communities in conflict and war zones.”

However, no office exists at the address the organization lists in East Jerusalem.

The newspaper Haaretz has investigated the organization and found that Tomer Janar Lind, a man with both Israeli and Estonian citizenship, is behind Al-Majd Europe.

The newspaper reports that Israel’s “voluntary emigration bureau,” under the Defense Ministry, has requested assistance from the military to coordinate the departures.

The Israeli military body COGAT controls who is allowed to leave Gaza.

In a statement, they said “residents left the Gaza Strip after COGAT received approval from a third country to receive them,” according to BBC.

A Political Test?

Israel says South Africa approved accepting the 153 Palestinians. South Africa maintains it was not informed about the flights.

“It’s bizarre. More than anything, it’s a test,” said Yossi Mekelberg, a senior researcher at the Chatham House think tank and an expert on Israeli-African relations, to NRK.

He believes the flights may be a political test from Israel.

“Perhaps they are trying to test the ground and see how South Africa and the world react.”