{"id":294561,"date":"2025-11-14T07:57:32","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T05:57:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peexpress\/153-palestinians-allowed-to-disembark-after-12-hour-airport-standoff-in-south-africa\/"},"modified":"2025-11-14T08:24:52","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T06:24:52","slug":"153-palestinians-allowed-to-disembark-after-12-hour-airport-standoff-in-south-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/peexpress\/153-palestinians-allowed-to-disembark-after-12-hour-airport-standoff-in-south-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"153 Palestinians allowed to disembark after 12-hour airport standoff in South Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

JOHANNESBURG<\/strong> – More than 150 Palestinians were finally permitted to leave their aircraft Thursday evening after being detained on the plane for 12 hours at South Africa\u2019s main international airport, authorities confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chartered flight carrying 153 Palestinians landed at O.R. Tambo International Airport shortly after 08:00 on Thursday, but passengers were immediately prevented from disembarking by border police due to documentation issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Border police cited the absence of \u201ccustomary departure stamps\u201d in the passengers\u2019 passports as the reason for the extended detention. Officials also noted that none of the Palestinians had \u201cexpressed an intention to apply for asylum\u201d upon arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 12-hour standoff was resolved only after the humanitarian organisation Gift of the Givers<\/a> stepped in to guarantee accommodation for the passengers, prompting the Home Affairs Ministry to authorise their disembarkation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of the 153 passengers, 130 entered South Africa while 23 remained at the airport awaiting connections to other destinations, according to border police statements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The aircraft was operated by South African airline Global Airways on a charter flight from Kenya, though authorities have not disclosed the specific conditions under which the Palestinians departed or the complete flight route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of Gift of the Givers, told the SABC that the identity of the flight\u2019s sponsor remains unknown. He revealed this was the second such arrival, following a similar charter flight on 28 October that brought 176 Palestinians to Johannesburg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe families of this first group told us yesterday their family members are coming on a second plane and nobody knew about that plane,\u201d Sooliman explained. \u201cThe government has to investigate how people are coming on chartered planes without stamps. Israel didn\u2019t stamp their passport so they are travelling sort of illegally.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The incident occurs against the backdrop of South Africa\u2019s strong support for Palestinian causes. Despite hosting sub-Saharan Africa\u2019s largest Jewish community, the South African government has been a vocal critic of Israeli policies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, South Africa filed a landmark case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, formally accusing the nation of genocide in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ:<\/strong> South African Gaza aid activists return home after Israeli detention<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

JOHANNESBURG – More than 150 Palestinians were finally permitted to leave their aircraft Thursday evening after being detained on the plane for 12 hours at South Africa\u2019s main international airport, 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