A group of Palestinian refugees were stuck on a plane on the runway at the OR Tambo Airport for hours on 13 November 2025. Image: EWN
(The Post News) -The SA Zionist Federation (SAZF) has strongly rejected recent claims over Palestinians denied entry at OR Tambo.
It described these as “torrent and baseless accusations.
A group of 153 Palestinian travellers were briefly denied entry at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday.
The travellers arrived on a charter flight from Nairobi. They were initially prevented from disembarking. Immigration officials raised concerns about missing passport stamps and incomplete travel documentation.
Illegal Airport Landing
Civil society organisation Gift of the Givers claimed that Israel deliberately withheld passport stamps to sabotage the group’s asylum process. This allegation was repeated by some politicians and media outlets, sparking widespread debate.
However, the SAZF dismissed the narrative as inflammatory and misleading.
In a statement, the Federation explained that Israel abolished physical passport stamps more than a decade ago. They replaced them with electronic entry and exit slips for all foreign visitors, regardless of nationality.
Following interviews conducted by the Border Management Authority (BMA), the group was later allowed entry into South Africa.
Image Credits : SABC NEWS
Officials noted that the travellers had not indicated how long they intended to stay. They also did not mention where they would be accommodated. This lack of information contributed to the initial delay.
Federation’s Response and Wider Context
The SAZF emphasised that the accusations against Israel were politically motivated. They stated it is part of a “toxic narrative” designed to inflame tensions.
“This claim did not appear spontaneously. It was repeated by Gift of the Givers’ Imtiaz Sooliman,” the Federation said. They added that the facts around Israel’s passport policy were being deliberately distorted.
The Federation urged South Africans to distinguish between legitimate immigration procedures and propaganda. It stressed that the incident at OR Tambo was a matter of South African border control, not Israeli interference.
Meanwhile, the airline that transported the group confirmed it had submitted all passenger details to South African authorities. This submission occurred 24 hours before departure in line with immigration regulations.
The controversy arises amid heightened sensitivities around the Israel-Palestine conflict. South Africa plays an active role in international forums on the issue.
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