JOHANNESBURG: The arrival in South Africa of 153 Palestinians on a plane last week was “suspicious” and indicated “a clear agenda to cleanse Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank,” the foreign minister said Monday. The group arrived on a chartered flight and without departure stamps from Israel on their passports. “We are suspicious as a South African government about the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the plane,” Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said, adding: “This is a clear agenda to cleanse Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank.”

It is not clear who chartered the plane carrying the Palestinians from Kenya to South Africa.

JERUSALEM: Israeli authorities said on Saturday that 153 Palestinians who turned up unexpectedly in South Africa, triggering questions from its president, had received entry…