Flight From Israel Via Nairobi Sparks Diplomatic Crisis

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA – The South African government has announced it will refuse entry to any further charter flights carrying Palestinians from Gaza, following the contentious arrival of 153 passengers at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Thursday, 13 November 2025. The flight, which originated from Israel's Ramon Airport and transited through Nairobi, Kenya, has ignited a diplomatic firestorm and prompted allegations of a systematic plan to displace Palestinians.

Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola stated on Monday, 17 November 2025, that the government is “suspicious” of the circumstances surrounding the flight. “We do not want any further flights to come our way because this is a clear agenda to cleanse out the Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank,” Lamola declared, adding that the operation appeared to be part of a “broader agenda to remove Palestinians from Palestine into many different parts of the world.”

Kenya's Role Under Scrutiny

The flight’s stopover in the Kenyan capital has drawn Nairobi into the controversy, with questions arising about the clearance of an international charter with undocumented passengers. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that his country's intelligence services are investigating how the group was transported in what he described as a “mysterious” manner. According to Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the South African humanitarian organization Gift of the Givers, the passengers were unaware their final destination was South Africa until they were in Kenya. As of Tuesday, 18 November 2025, the Kenyan government had not issued a public statement on its role in the flight's transit.

Conflicting Accounts and Unanswered Questions

Upon arrival in Johannesburg, the 153 Palestinians, including families with children, were held on the tarmac for approximately 12 hours. South African border authorities initially denied them entry, citing a lack of proper travel documents, including departure stamps from Israel, return tickets, or details of their accommodation. After intervention from humanitarian groups, 130 passengers were eventually granted 90-day visa exemptions, while 23 others departed for different destinations.

The Palestinian Authority's embassy in South Africa condemned the flight, stating it was arranged by an “unregistered and misleading organization that exploited the tragic humanitarian conditions of our people in Gaza, deceived families, collected money from them, and facilitated their travel in an irregular and irresponsible manner.” The Palestinian Foreign Ministry further warned its citizens against “human trafficking, blood traders, or displacement agents.”

An Israeli military official, speaking anonymously, identified the organizing body as Al-Majd and confirmed that Israel had facilitated the group's departure from Gaza to Ramon Airport. Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) stated the Palestinians left after receiving approval from a third country to receive them, a claim South African officials dispute. COGAT asserted that South Africa had provided visas ahead of time, a point contradicted by South African authorities who are now investigating the matter.

This incident is reportedly the second of its kind, with another flight carrying 176 Palestinians said to have arrived in South Africa on 28 October 2025, under similarly opaque circumstances.

Broader Implications for the Region

South Africa has long been a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and has an ongoing case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza, a charge Israel vehemently denies. The arrival of these flights has intensified diplomatic tensions and fueled concerns in Pretoria about a deliberate policy of forced displacement. President Ramaphosa, while ordering the investigation, also stated that the passengers were received out of “compassion and empathy” as people from a “war-torn country.”

The controversy places Kenya in a delicate diplomatic position, balancing its relations with both Israel and other African nations that are strongly pro-Palestinian. The lack of official comment from Nairobi leaves critical questions unanswered regarding its airport and border protocols. The investigation launched by South Africa is expected to shed more light on the organizers of the flights and the full extent of international coordination involved. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.