Strange arrival of 150 Palestinians in South Africa sparks questions
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Because their travel papers were not clear, the group was kept inside their chartered plane for about 12 hours. A pastor who was allowed to visit them said the plane was very hot and that children were crying for help.
More than 150 Palestinians including a woman who is almost due to give birth arrived unexpectedly in South Africa without proper exit stamps from Israel.
They landed at O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg on Thursday. No one knew how long they planned to stay.
Because their travel papers were not clear, the group was kept inside their chartered plane for about 12 hours. A pastor who was allowed to visit them said the plane was very hot and that children were crying for help.
After the long delay, South Africa’s Ministry of Home Affairs stepped in. A local charity organization, Gift of the Givers, agreed to provide shelter for the passengers.
The Border Management Authority said that 23 of the travelers have already moved on to other countries, leaving 130 still in South Africa.
Officials are now investigating how the passengers got to South Africa without proper travel records.
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