Ghana Deports Three Israelis After Alleged Mistreatment of Its Citizens in Tel Aviv
Ghana has deported three Israeli nationals in a reciprocal response to what it described as the ill-treatment and unjustified deportation of Ghanaian citizens by Israeli authorities at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ghana’s Foreign Ministry said the action followed the recent detention and deportation of several Ghanaians entering Israel, describing their treatment as “inhumane and traumatic.”
“The Government of Ghana has been compelled to retaliate and will continue to safeguard the dignity of its nationals and also that of other nationals,” the ministry said.
According to the statement, Accra summoned the acting head of Israel’s embassy in Ghana, as the ambassador was out of the country, to formally protest the incident. Both sides agreed to pursue an amicable resolution to the dispute.
The ministry stressed that Ghana expects its citizens to be treated with dignity and respect abroad, just as it accords such treatment to foreign nationals within its borders.
Earlier on Wednesday, Ghana condemned what it called the deliberate targeting of its citizens at Ben Gurion Airport. The ministry said seven Ghanaians, including four members of a parliamentary delegation attending an international cybersecurity conference in Tel Aviv, were detained without justifiable cause and released only after hours of diplomatic intervention. Three other Ghanaian travelers were deported and returned home on the next available flight.
“This condemnable conduct by Israeli authorities is extremely provocative and unacceptable,” the statement said, adding that reciprocal measures were under consideration before the deportation decision was taken.
The Foreign Ministry also rejected claims by Israeli authorities that Ghana’s embassy in Tel Aviv failed to cooperate during the deportation process, describing the allegation as “totally untenable” and insisting the mission acted in line with international law.
Ghana and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1957 following Ghana’s independence. Ties were severed after the 1973 Arab-Israeli war alongside several African states, but relations were restored in 1994 and have since involved regular travel and cooperation between both countries.
