Ilana Smith flew to Israel last weekend with the aim of comforting her friend, Devorah Kay, after her son Eli’s death. “Our families have been close friends for years,” she said.

She purposely delayed her trip until the end of the shivah, following the death of Eliyohu Dovid Kay, who was murdered by a Palestinian gunman in Yerushalayim Old City last week.

There were five South African citizens, two of whom came to comfort the family of Eli Kay. According to the passengers, when they left for Israel on Thursday, the restrictions imposed by the Corona Cabinet on flights from Africa had not yet come into force, and after a stopover in Dubai on Friday afternoon, they landed at Ben Gurion Airport. Upon landing in Israel, the passengers were taken for a conversation in a side room, where they were informed that their entry had been prohibited and they would be returned to Dubai.

The passengers, shomrei Shabbos, expressed their opposition and said that this would lead to the desecration of Shabbos. Upon arrival at the airport in Dubai, it was made clear to them that they were not allowed to stay in the country and they were flown back to South Africa on Shabbos... Read More: MATZAV