By:Kenneth Appiah Bani
The Government of Ghana has strongly condemned what it describes as the unjustifiable and distressing mistreatment of Ghanaian travellers by Israeli authorities at the Ben Gurion International Airport. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it is appalled by the incidents and is considering immediate reciprocal action in response.
In a statement dated December 10, 2025, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa revealed that the government is deeply concerned about reports indicating that Ghanaian travellers have been deliberately singled out and subjected to inhumane and humiliating treatment since Sunday, December 7.
According to the Ministry, seven Ghanaian nationals travelling to Israel were detained on December 7 without any valid justification. Among the group were four Members of Parliament who had travelled to take part in the Annual International Cybersecurity Conference in Tel Aviv. They were reportedly held for more than five hours and released only after strenuous diplomatic intervention.
The remaining three travellers did not receive the same relief; they were deported on the next available flight and have since arrived in Ghana.
Government described these actions by Israeli authorities as discriminatory, provocative, and inconsistent with the longstanding friendly relations the two countries have enjoyed for over six decades. Ghana further rejected Israel’s justification that its Embassy failed to cooperate in the deportation processes, calling the claim baseless and inconsistent with the professional conduct of the Ghanaian mission in Tel Aviv.
The statement emphasised that Ghana will not tolerate any form of degrading treatment against its citizens abroad. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is expected to summon officials of the Israeli Embassy in Accra to officially register Ghana’s displeasure.
Meanwhile, the government says it is considering appropriate reciprocal measures to ensure that Ghanaian citizens are respected and protected in all international jurisdictions.
