South Africa Has Accused Israel of ‘Cleansing’ Gaza of Palestinians after Shadowy Flights. Here's What to Know
Palestinians are charged thousands of dollars by a little-known organization for a seat on a plane and they aren't told where they're being taken.
South African authorities have vowed to investigate a shadowy Israel-linked operation that has orchestrated at least three flights carrying hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza to other countries since May, in what experts say is part of Israel’s attempt to depopulate the leveled enclave in its broader ethnic cleansing campaign.
The plane that landed in Johannesburg earlier this month generated outrage, with photos circulating showing Palestinians trapped on board for 12 hours before being allowed to disembark. Since then, more reporting – and questions – have emerged about the organization behind the flight and its links to Israel. Here’s what to know:
What Happened?
A charter flight carrying 153 people arrived at the O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg from Nairobi, Kenya, on Nov. 13, Leon Schreiber, South Africa’s minister of home affairs, confirmed. Some Palestinians on the flight did not have return tickets, exit stamps on their passports, or addresses for their stay in South Africa, Schreiber said.
Airport authorities kept the passengers – which included children and a woman who was 9 months pregnant – on the plane for 12 hours before allowing them into the country, citing the missing travel documents.
Palestinian passport holders can typically stay in South Africa for up to 90 days without a visa, but because of the lack of documentation, Schreiber said airport authorities didn’t allow them in right away. “Vulnerable members” were taken to air-conditioned buses during the process, and the South African government contacted the Palestinian Embassy and “other role-players.” Of the 153 passengers, 23 took flights to other destinations, while the remaining Palestinians were processed into the care of a South African NGO called the Gift of the Givers Foundation.
Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said the flight was part of a “clear agenda to cleanse” Palestinians from their land.
“It does look like it represents a broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine into many different parts of the world and it’s a clearly orchestrated operation because they are not only being sent to South Africa,” he said, adding the country does not want any additional planes to come.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa vowed that intelligence services would investigate who was behind the flights.
It was the third known flight to have been organized by a firm calling itself Al-Majd Europe, according to Haaretz.
At least two other such flights transported an additional 207 Palestinians from Gaza in May and October, Haaretz reported, and the Palestinians aboard weren’t told where they were being taken. Each passenger was charged $1,500 to $2,700 for a spot on the plane. Haaretz reported that a May 27 flight took 57 Palestinians to Budapest, and from there, continued to Indonesia and Malaysia. An Oct. 27 flight took 150 Palestinians to Nairobi, Kenya, and then to Johannesburg. Some passengers wore Al-Majd hats and shirts, per the Israeli newspaper.