Investigations are underway into how over 300 Palestinian refugees arrived in South Africa under chaotic circumstances, sparking claims of Israeli involvement and raising serious questions about the arrangements made for their arrival.
The South African government is facing increasing scrutiny over the arrival of two charter flights carrying Palestinian refugees over the past month, with suspicions mounting about the role of Israeli entities in orchestrating their journey.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has confirmed that the government is conducting an investigation to establish how the arrangements took place without South African authorities being informed in advance. "Out of compassion, out of empathy, we must receive them [the Palestinian refugees] and address the situation they face," he stated.
The latest flight, carrying 153 refugees, landed at OR Tambo International Airport recently. This flight, along with a previous one that arrived on 20 October, was allegedly arranged by the same intermediaries, raising concerns about a coordinated effort.
Aviation operator Global Airways confirmed it handled both flights. The airline stated that it regularly handles the repatriation of refugees and ensures passenger manifests and other documentation are in order before arrival.
However, the circumstances surrounding the flights are far from ordinary. The latest flight was reportedly arranged by a "humanitarian aid organisation" with an address in Jerusalem, raising immediate red flags. Further investigation revealed that the aviation operator that paid for the South African charter flight has its head office in Tel Aviv.
Adding to the intrigue, both charter flights were coordinated from Nairobi by KT Air International, which also has its head office in Tel Aviv. KT Air International has not responded to enquiries.
The flight departed from an Israeli Air Force base in the Negev Desert, approximately a two-hour drive south of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. This detail has fuelled speculation that the flights are linked to Israel’s plan to encourage "voluntary migration" of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.
Adding a further layer of complexity, Tim Flack, of Flack Partners PR, has cautioned against placing blame solely on Israel. He claims that South Africa should bear responsibility, arguing that it is common knowledge that the Israeli government has not stamped passports of individuals leaving the country through airports since 2013.
Flack suggests that the situation at the airport is being deliberately exaggerated to create a false impression. He notes that a previous flight carrying Palestinian refugees landed in South Africa without incident, implying that the current controversy is manufactured.
He further cautioned the media and journalists against accepting information from Gift of the Givers founder, Imtiaz Sooliman, or any other source, without verification. Sooliman had previously stated that the refugees paid $2,000 for the trip and were unaware of their destination.
Flack claims to have spoken to individuals directly involved, including a woman he identified only as "R" to protect her anonymity. He expressed concern that "one man can pick up a telephone call to the president and people just jump."
The refugees themselves booked their flights online through Al‑Majd Europe, an aid organisation that claims to be based in Germany. However, investigations have revealed that the German address does not exist, and the group’s website was only created this year, shortly after the Israeli government began discussing "voluntary migration" from Gaza.
The address and telephone number for Al‑Majd on the website are located in Jerusalem. Throughout the process, the Palestinians had only one point of contact, and they have been unable to reach him since leaving Israel.
Al‑Majd arranged for the refugees to be transported by bus across the border into Israel, forbidding them from taking luggage beyond a small backpack. The Palestinians paid between $1,000 and $1,500 (R17,000 to R25,700) per person, which included seven days’ hotel accommodation.
Na’eem Jeenah, a senior researcher at the Mapungubwe Institute for Strategic Reflection, stated that the first group of refugees were housed in Johannesburg hotels upon arrival on 20 October. However, the organisers subsequently cut off all contact with them.
On its website, Al‑Majd claims the organisation was established in Germany in 2010. However, the German address does not exist.
Moreover, the group’s website was only created this year – shortly after the Israeli government began openly referring to ‘voluntary migration’ as part of its plans in the Gaza Strip.
The address and telephone number for Al‑Majd on the website are in Jerusalem.
Throughout the process of arranging the flights, the Palestinians had only a single telephone number and contact person. Since leaving Israel, however, they have been unable to get hold of him.
He did, however, call Jeenah out of the blue at OR Tambo airport and asked what role within government Jeenah occupies.
He also wanted to know whether Jeenah and the relief organisation Gift of the Givers would smooth over the problems at the airport.
Upon arrival, the Border Management Authority noted that none of the refugees had exit stamps in their Palestinian passports, indicating that they had departed from Israel. The group was unable to provide an address for their stay in South Africa, a standard requirement for immigration control. Many of the refugees were also not proficient in English, leading to further complications.
Despite the circumstances, the refugees did not wish to apply for asylum or seek refugee status. Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber stated that the majority of the group were eventually admitted to the country as tourists, granting them 90 days to decide their next destination. Within a day of their arrival, 23 had already departed on connecting flights to destinations such as Australia and Egypt.
Online warnings have circulated on social media platforms cautioning refugees against using Al‑Majd, describing it as a "highly suspicious" organisation with potential links to Israeli authorities. News outlets in Gaza have also warned that the organisation’s address and contact details cannot be verified.
Despite soliciting donations on its website, Al‑Majd lacks a registration number as a relief organisation, and the photos on the website appear to be generated by artificial intelligence. Reports indicate that residents of Gaza are being targeted with offers to resettle in various countries in South‑east Asia, particularly Indonesia. Al‑Majd has not responded to enquiries.
The situation remains fluid, with numerous unanswered questions and conflicting accounts. The South African government’s investigation is expected to shed light on the circumstances surrounding the flights and the involvement of various entities. The group includes at least one heavily pregnant woman and families with young children.
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