South Africa grants entry to more than 150 Palestinian refugees

South African authorities have granted entry to 153 Palestinian refugees who arrived Thursday on a chartered flight from Kenya to seek asylum in the country but had been earlier denied admission after failing immigration tests.

The Border Management Authority (BMA) said in a statement that during their standard immigration interview process, the Palestinians did not indicate their duration of stay in the country or their intended accommodation addresses.

“The passengers also did not have the customary departure stamps in their passports,” said BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato.

The Palestinian refugees waited for more than 10 hours on the tarmac at OR Tambo International Airport near Johannesburg to be cleared or turned away. The news caused outrage among activists in the country known to be strong supporters of Palestinian rights.

South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on Dec. 29, 2023, accusing Israel, which has bombed Gaza since October 2023, of failing to uphold its commitments under the 1948 Genocide Convention.

Ultimate destination

The South African government has also stated on several occasions that it stands with the people of Palestine.

The BMA, however, said it received correspondence from the humanitarian aid organization Gift of the Givers Foundation stating that it will accommodate the travelers during their stay.

Masiapato said Palestinians are eligible for a 90-day visa exemption to travel to South Africa and they have been processed as normal and will be required to adhere to all conditions of entry.

“By the time of admission, 23 out of the 153 (Palestinians) had already transferred (transited) from South Africa to their ultimate destinations,” BMA said, adding that the other 130 remained in the country under the care of the Gift of the Givers Foundation.

Imtiaz Sooliman, founder and chairman of the Gift of the Givers Foundation, said in a statement that Israel did not grant the Palestinians exit stamps in their passports when they left.

Sigh of relief

“Israel deliberately did not stamp the passports of these poor people (in order) to exacerbate their suffering in a foreign country,” he said.

The Palestinians expressed a sigh of relief after they were cleared to disembark off their flight. They were welcomed by family members, friends and pro-Palestinian groups.

“I’m grateful to be here. I thought they would not let us in. I can now go to Cairo and join my family there,” a young female Palestinian student told reporters.

She said she hopes to further her studies in Egypt.

Sooliman thanked South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola and Zane Dangor, director-general of South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), for coming to the rescue of the stranded Palestinian refugees.

He said Lamola took the initiative to write a letter to the Department of Home Affairs, which waived the requirement of the exit stamp to allow the Palestinians in.

It was the second plane transporting Palestinians fleeing the genocide in Gaza to South Africa.

The first plane landed late last month at OR Tambo International Airport carrying 176 Palestinians.