Ghana has deported three Israeli nationals following “the ill-treatment and unjustified deportation of three Ghanaian nationals by Israeli authorities,” the government announced on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said “the Government of Ghana has been compelled to retaliate by deporting three (3) Israelis who arrived in Ghana earlier today.”
In a statement posted on Facebook, Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa wrote: “The Government of Ghana has been compelled to activate appropriate reciprocal action by deporting three Israelis who arrived in Ghana earlier today following the ill-treatment and unwarranted deportation of three Ghanaians. Both Governments have now agreed to an amicable resolution.”
The diplomatic row erupted on 7 December when several Ghanaian travellers arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport were detained or deported without clear justification. Among those affected were four members of a parliamentary delegation travelling to Tel Aviv for an international cybersecurity conference.
The MPs were held for more than five hours before diplomatic pressure secured their release, whilst three other Ghanaian nationals were denied entry and forced onto return flights to Accra.
In an earlier statement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry had described the actions of Israeli authorities as “inhumane and traumatic,” saying Ghanaian travellers had been “deliberately targeted.”
“The Chargé d’Affaires ad Interim of the Embassy of the State of Israel was promptly summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, considering that the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana is currently out of the jurisdiction,” the official press release stated. “Both Governments have agreed to resolve the matter amicably.”
The ministry emphasised: “The Government of Ghana will continue to safeguard the dignity of its nationals and also that of other nationals.”
The statement added: “Ghana deeply values our relations with all friendly countries and expects our citizens to be treated with dignity and respect in much the same way as other governments expect Ghana to treat their nationals.”
With the deportation of the three Israelis, Ghana signals that violations against its citizens will meet a firm but measured response. The government’s actions underscore a broader demand for reciprocal respect and fair treatment of nationals in international travel and diplomatic relations.
The incident marks a serious test for Ghana-Israel relations, which have historically maintained substantial visa-free travel arrangements and diplomatic ties spanning more than six decades.
Ghana has indicated it expects assurances that similar incidents will not recur, whilst emphasising its commitment to resolving the matter through diplomatic channels.
