---
title: "South Africa lets in 130 Palestinians after initial denial over entry rules"
description: "South Africa granted entry to 130 Palestinians at Johannesburgairport on Wednesday, after initially barring them for not meeting immigration requirements, border authorities said."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-11-14-south-africa-lets-in-130-palestinians-after-initial-denial-over-entry-rules/"
published: "2025-11-14T12:59:34"
updated: "2025-11-14T12:59:35"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 92
---

# South Africa lets in 130 Palestinians after initial denial over entry rules

> South Africa granted entry to 130 Palestinians at Johannesburgairport on Wednesday, after initially barring them for not meeting immigration requirements, border authorities said.

By Reuters · Published 14 November 2025, 14:59 SAST · Updated 14 November 2025, 14:59 SAST

## Key points
- In a diplomatic tango, South Africa waltzes into the International Court of Justice with accusations of genocide against Israel, while a troupe of 153 Palestinians, fresh off a chartered flight, leaves the Border Management Authority scratching its head over their travel plans and missing stamps.
- South Africa reaffirms its support for Palestinian statehood, filing a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
- Israel firmly denies the allegations, maintaining its stance amidst ongoing tensions.
- A group of 153 Palestinians arriving at O.R. Tambo Airport from Kenya faces scrutiny from the Border Management Authority.
- The BMA highlights missing departure stamps in their passports, raising questions about their travel intentions.

## Content

South Africa has long supported Palestinian aspirations to statehood and filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in 2023 accusing it of genocide in the Gaza war. Israel has rejected the accusations.

The Border Management Authority said a group of 153 Palestinians who arrived at O.R. Tambo International Airport on a chartered Global Airways flight from Kenya had not indicated how long or where they intended to stay.

They also lacked the required departure stamps in their passports to show where they had boarded the plane, BMA said.