DayofPal—A flight carrying 153 Palestinians from Gaza to Johannesburg has sparked outrage and allegations in South Africa that Israel used an obscure humanitarian organization to forcibly remove people from the besieged enclave.
The chartered plane, which landed at OR Tambo International Airport on 13 November, remained on the tarmac for nearly 12 hours as authorities grappled with confusion over the passengers’ identities, documentation, and travel arrangements.
Activists who intervened said that neither the South African government nor the travellers themselves appeared to have prior clarity about the flight’s purpose or destination.
According to activists, the evacuation was arranged by Al-Majd Europe, an organization claiming to facilitate humanitarian assistance in war zones. But neither South African officials nor Palestinian diplomats in Pretoria had been informed of the group’s activities.
Many passengers lacked paperwork, and some reported that they boarded the flight without fully knowing where they were being taken. Boarding passes showed destinations as varied as India, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Na’eem Jeenah, a Johannesburg-based activist and academic, said that the situation suggested Al-Majd Europe was acting as a conduit for Israeli efforts to quietly remove Palestinians, especially professionals, from Gaza.
“It is clear to us that Al-Majd is a front for the Israeli state and Israeli intelligence,” Jeenah said, calling the operation a continuation of forced displacement.
His claims followed an Associated Press report quoting an Israeli military official who confirmed that Israel helped move the travellers through the Kerem Shalom crossing to Ramon Airport before they departed.
Al-Majd Europe presents itself online as a Germany-registered humanitarian group founded in 2010. It advertises evacuation services, medical support, and humanitarian aid for Muslim communities in war zones.
However, South African activists say the organization appeared suddenly and began recruiting Palestinians for evacuation through paid arrangements, often via WhatsApp. Fees reportedly ranged from $1,500 to $5,000 per person.
Khalid Vawda of Social Intifada, who first raised alarm about the group, said many families sought out Al-Majd because other routes, especially Rafah crossing, were closed.
“Israel is preying on Palestinians in Gaza,” he said, adding that families were manipulated during extreme vulnerability after two years of devastating war.
After landing in Johannesburg, passengers expected assistance but instead found themselves without documentation, support, or clear information about their legal status. Some had been promised accommodation, only to receive a hotel address valid for just one week.
Jeenah, who boarded the plane during its long delay on the tarmac, described dire conditions: passengers had gone without food or water for the entire flight, children had not had diapers changed in 24 hours, and one pregnant woman was in distress. Travellers were reportedly stripped of nearly all belongings when leaving Israel.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa later commented that the passengers “somehow mysteriously were put on a plane” and arrived without documents. Eventually, after pressure from civil society, authorities issued 90-day visas.
The situation exposed tensions within South Africa’s unity government. The Department of Home Affairs, led by a minister from the pro-Israel Democratic Alliance, was criticized for slow humanitarian response.
The Palestinian embassy in Pretoria condemned the operation, calling Al-Majd Europe “unregistered and misleading,” accusing it of exploiting Gaza’s severe humanitarian crisis.
Civil society organisations are demanding a full inquiry into both Al-Majd Europe and the South African authorities’ handling of the incident.
“This has been embarrassing for a government that has taken strong positions at the ICC and ICJ,” activist Sarah Oosthuizen said. “These were people fleeing a genocide, and they deserved far better care.”
Shortlink for this post: https://daysofpalestine.ps/?p=69449
