Ghana and Israel are locked in a diplomatic dispute after the detention of Ghanaian travellers in Tel Aviv triggered a reciprocal deportation of Israeli nationals from Accra.
The tensions began on 7 December when seven Ghanaians, including four members of Parliament, were held for several hours at Ben Gurion International Airport. Three were later deported. Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the treatment as “traumatic” and “unjustified”, saying its citizens had been singled out despite travelling with proper documentation.
Officials dismissed explanations from Israeli authorities that the incident stemmed from difficulties in verifying details with Ghana’s embassy in Tel Aviv, calling those claims “untenable”. The ministry summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires in Accra to demand answers and warned that it was considering reciprocal action.
That response came three days later when Ghana deported three Israeli nationals who had arrived in Accra. Government officials said the step was meant to “defend the dignity of Ghanaian citizens” and underline that foreign nationals should expect the same standard of respect that Ghanaians are owed abroad.
The move marked an escalation in a relationship that has generally been cooperative. Ghana was one of the first African states to establish diplomatic ties with Israel after independence, and the two countries have maintained cooperation in agriculture, technology and security since relations were restored in the 1990s.
But the detention of lawmakers raised sensitivities in Accra, where senior officials described the episode as a breach of diplomatic norms. Ghana has insisted that Israel provide a clearer explanation and assurances that such treatment will not recur.
Despite the flare-up, both sides say they are seeking a way back to normal engagement. Israeli diplomats in Accra have opened talks with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ghana has signalled that it wants the matter resolved quickly to avoid further disruption.
