On 14 November, South Africa was abuzz with news that about 150 Palestinian refugees from Gaza were being held on the tarmac at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg. Even though Palestinians did not require a visa at that time, they were unable to enter the country because they could not tick a few bureaucratic boxes such as having proof of accommodation while in the country.
There was significant pressure from protesters who showed up at the arrivals area in the airport for the Palestinians to be permitted entry. Some civil society organizations also intervened.
When campaigners convinced Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s president, to overrule the callous decision to deny entry taken by the Border Management Authority, most of the Palestinians were allowed to come into the country. Nearly two dozen others were able to board flights for other countries, where they have family or friends.
The buzz involved widespread misinformation shared on social media, as well as in some mainstream news outlets.
One claim made by pro-Israel sources was that the Gift of the Givers Foundation – a humanitarian aid group – had brought the refugees to South Africa and dumped them at the airport. The intent behind this claim was to rile up xenophobic sentiment – which is exactly what happened.
Many social media accounts started claiming that Gift of the Givers’ founder Dr. Imtiaz Sooliman had paid for the flights himself.
One account on X (formerly Twitter) bearing the name Simon Rossouw called Gift of the Givers a terrorist organization and argued that its support for refugees was “a middle finger to all people who died” fighting for freedom from apartheid. Rossouw also warned – without evidence – that “Hamas is now fully entrenched in South Africa.”
Others claimed – again without evidence – that the arrival of the Palestinians in Johannesburg constituted a security risk and blamed the African National Congress (ANC). Even The Kiffness – a racist comedian famous in South Africa – jumped into the fray in his typical Islamophobic manner and had a go at Imtiaz Sooliman.
The danger here was real. The spread of xenophobic rhetoric and violence in South Africa, usually limited to Africans from other parts of the continent, is now also being directed at Palestinians. (more...)
Israel blends ethnic cleansing and human trafficking
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