S. African withdraws visa exemption for Palestinians
In a statement issued Saturday, the department said the exemption was withdrawn following investigations that revealed “deliberate and ongoing abuse” of the 90-day visa privilege by Israeli actors, linked to so-called “voluntary emigration” efforts for residents of Gaza.
Last month, a charter flight from Israel, which stopped in Kenya, transported 153 Palestinian refugees from Gaza into South Africa. Another flight in late October brought in 176 Palestinians.
“Withdrawing the visa exemption is the most effective way to prevent further flights of this nature while ensuring that bona fide travelers from Palestine are safely able to visit South Africa without being subjected to abuse,” the department stated.
Officials emphasized that South Africa will not participate in any efforts to exploit or displace Palestinians from Gaza. Investigations suggested that the chartered flights were not isolated incidents but part of a broader, ongoing plan to relocate Palestinians internationally.
The department added that asylum applications from travelers arriving on these flights will be processed appropriately, while maintaining the 90-day exemption for those who do not seek asylum.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
