Detained South African in Israel finally back home
JOHANNESBURG – A South African who was detained in Israel has returned home.
Laeeqa Sujee, who attends the University of Witswatersrand and was detained by the Israeli government, was released on 26 November and is now back safely in South Africa.
Sujee’s sister‚ Nabeela‚ wrote on Facebook on 26 November that, “My 21-year-old sister Laeeqa is being detained by Israel. She was among three other South African students who were en route to a youth camp in occupied Palestine.”
The initial story was uncovered in a press release issued by the National Coalition for Palestine (NC4P) who condemned the actions of the Israeli government.
Sujee’s sister added in her post that, “She flew at 2pm on Friday 25/11/16 and landed in Tel Aviv at 2am (Israel controls all borders into Palestine). At 4am we were alerted that the two other South African students went through, but Laeeqa did not. She was kept in [an] interrogation room until 9am when we heard that she was forced to sign a deportation order.
“We have now heard she has been taken to immigration holding cells and will only return on Monday. She is alone, she doesn’t have her medicines, she does not have her bags or any way of contacting us. The [South African] embassy in Tel Aviv has done nothing to ensure her safety or even call us.”
However, on 27 November, her sister announced her return posting, “After being detained by Apartheid Regime of Israel, kept in solitary confinement for 8 hours, she’s back on South African soil.”
In its initial release, the NC4P said, “In the past, Israel has also denied Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Higher Education Minister Dr Blade Nzimande, minister Thulas Nxesi and various other high profile South Africans entry into Palestine.
“A clear message must be sent by Dirco [Department of International Relations and Cooperation] that Israel’s behaviour of denying South African citizens entry into Occupied Palestine is unacceptable.”
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