Ghana and Israel moved to contain a sudden diplomatic flare-up on Wednesday after Accra accused Israeli airport authorities of subjecting Ghanaian travellers to harsh and unjustified treatment at Ben Gurion Airport. The row prompted Ghana to deport three Israelis in a swift reciprocal action.
In a strongly worded statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was “appalled” by what it described as the “inhumane and traumatic” treatment meted out to Ghanaian nationals travelling to Israel earlier this week. According to the ministry, seven Ghanaians were detained at Ben Gurion Airport on Sunday, December 7, without a clear cause. Four of them were members of a parliamentary delegation attending an international cybersecurity conference in Tel Aviv.
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“They were only released after more than five hours of strenuous diplomatic intervention,” the statement said. Three other travellers were deported and have since returned to Accra.
Accra described the conduct of Israeli authorities as “extremely provocative and unacceptable,” insisting that the actions undermined the warm relations the two countries have built over six decades. “Ghana considers the actions of the Israeli authorities as unfairly targeting Ghanaian travellers and registers its strong reservations against the humiliating treatment of our citizens,” the ministry said.
Israeli officials reportedly told Ghana that the detentions were linked to what they said was the non-cooperation of Ghana’s embassy in processing certain security requirements. Accra rejected that justification as “totally untenable.”
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With tempers rising, Ghana responded on Wednesday by deporting three Israelis who had arrived in the country earlier in the day. A second statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the decision, describing it as a compelled act of reciprocity following the “unjustified deportation” of three Ghanaians from Israel.
The Charge d’Affaires of the Israeli Embassy in Accra was summoned by the Ministry to receive Ghana’s protest. The Israeli ambassador is currently out of the country.
Despite the sharp exchanges, both governments signalled a desire to bring the dispute under control. “Both governments have agreed to resolve the matter amicably,” the ministry noted.
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Ghana stressed that it expects its citizens to be treated with dignity abroad, just as it treats the citizens of all countries within its borders. “We will continue to safeguard the dignity of our nationals and also that of other nationals,” the statement added.
As the two countries work to smooth over the incident, Accra said it is considering what further action may be necessary, even as it reiterated its commitment to long-standing friendly ties.
