The fallout over a mysterious charter flight that brought 153 Palestinians from Gaza to South Africa has raised major questions about who organised the trip and under what authority they facilitated it.
The passengers arrived in Johannesburg on a FlyLili aircraft chartered from Romania, which had departed from Kenya after stopping at Ramon Airport.
Upon landing, they were detained for more than 12 hours in difficult conditions before eventually being permitted to enter the country.
According to South Africa’s Daily Maverick, several passengers said they paid around $2,000 USD each to a company called Al-Majd Europe, unaware that their final destination would be South Africa.
Many believed they were travelling to India or another Asian country. In the end, 130 Palestinians entered South Africa on 90-day temporary visas, while 23 others continued on connecting flights to different destinations.
Al-Majd Europe
Investigations found that “Al-Majd Europe” was the central organiser of the trip.
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Israeli media reported that the company communicates with the Immigration Directorate of Israel’s Ministry of Defence, which then transferred passenger data to the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT).
Individuals linked to Al-Majd Europe include Moayyad Saydam, who identifies himself as a “humanitarian projects manager in Gaza”, and a man named Adnan, who presents himself as a “humanitarian projects coordinator in Jerusalem”. Both appear to have no verifiable background or confirmed contact details, and their exact roles remain unclear.
The company itself has no physical address or official phone number, despite its website claiming it is based in Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem – a claim that has not been substantiated.
Further reporting by Haaretz indicates that Al-Majd Europe is owned by Talent Globus, a company founded by Tomer Yanar Lind, an Israeli-Estonian national.
Lind has worked for years in Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, and operates another consultancy that appears to be based in Dubai.
South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said Monday that the arrival in Johannesburg last week of a plane carrying Palestinian refugees was a “clearly orchestrated operation” to displace Palestinians.
Israel had previously discussed with several countries, including South Sudan, the possibility of relocating Palestinians there.
