The landing of two planeloads of Palestinians in South Africa in the last three weeks under still-mysterious circumstances speaks volumes about how seriously our government takes issues of national security, and its dangerous conflation with the country’s human rights position.
In what self-respecting country would it be possible for a flight carrying foreigners be allowed to land, and the occupants allowed to stay in the country, even though they did not have a clear place to stay and their identities were uncertain?
Ordinarily, because of the apparent violation of South African territory, the authorities should have by now investigated the entire saga and given the nation an unequivocal explanation of how two — not one — planes were able to deliver their passengers on South African soil seemingly without the requisite permissions. That, as well as accounting for the fate of all those who were aboard.
In the emotive and uncertain atmosphere following the revelation of the plane landings, there was a mixing up, deliberate or not, of two issues. One is South Africa’s eminently justifiable support for the people of Gaza, and Palestinians in general — especially in the wake of Israel’s war in that enclave. The other is the government’s ability, or otherwise, to secure the country’s territorial integrity and protect citizens from potential external threats.
If the entry of the two planes is, as has been speculated, part of an Israeli strategy to expel Palestinians from Gaza, and South Africa received them without asking questions, would that not, in any case, render Pretoria complicit in the execution of a plan that goes counter to its known position of supporting freedom for Palestinians in their own homeland?
It is well past time that the government properly accounted to the nation for its handling of the whole episode.
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