Ghana has deported three Israeli nationals who landed in Accra on Wednesday, in what officials describe as a direct response to the alleged mistreatment of Ghanaian travellers at Israel’s Ben Gurion International Airport.
According to Ghana’s foreign ministry, seven Ghanaians — including four members of an official delegation attending a cyber-security conference in Tel Aviv — were detained without explanation upon arrival. After five hours, all but three were released; the remaining three were deported back to Ghana, a move Accra slammed as “humiliating” and unjustified.
Following the incident, Ghana summoned a senior Israeli diplomat to register its protest. Both countries have since agreed to work toward an amicable resolution, although Israel’s embassy has not yet responded publicly.
Ghana’s foreign ministry stressed that the two nations have shared friendly ties for decades, making Israel’s alleged treatment of Ghanaian citizens both unexpected and unacceptable.
The ministry added that Ghana expects its people to be treated with the same dignity and respect it extends to other foreign nationals.
Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa told JoyFM that Ghana would match Israel’s actions proportionately: “If Israel deports one Ghanaian, Ghana will deport one Israeli.”
🇬🇭🇮🇱 What’s Fueling the Tension?
The root cause of the diplomatic friction is still unclear, but analysts believe Ghana’s recent positioning on Middle East affairs may play a role.
In recent months:
- Ghana condemned Israeli airstrikes in Qatar, calling them a violation of international law.
- Authorities urged Israel to open more humanitarian corridors into Gaza.
- President John Mahama donated 40 tonnes of Ghana-made cocoa products to Palestinians, reaffirming Ghana’s support for a two-state solution.
These actions may have contributed to strained relations, especially if Israel views Ghana’s stance as increasingly sympathetic to Palestine.
Israel, however, reportedly told Ghana that the issue stemmed from Accra’s embassy allegedly not cooperating with deportation procedures involving six individuals — a claim Ghana strongly rejects.
Ghana maintains its embassy in Tel Aviv is fully compliant with international law, noting that one of the six individuals was actually Gabonese and another too ill to travel.