Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Botswana
A young, largely expatriate Jewish community led by the Zionist state's honorary consul, Steinmetz-linked diamond sightholders, Cellebrite phone searches of journalists, Circles systems at the intelligence service, armoured-vehicle turrets, and Masisi's turn to criticism over Gaza
Botswana has a small, young Jewish community, put at about 100 people. Most are Israeli and South African expatriates in Gaborone.[1][2] Its leader, Richard A. Lyons, is the honorary consul of "Israel".[1] Israeli links with Botswana run mainly through diamonds and security:
- Beny Steinmetz's Ascot was one of the 16 domestic sightholders on DTC Botswana's 2008 list.[3]
- Police used Cellebrite tools to search journalists' phones.[4]
- Citizen Lab linked a Circles surveillance system to the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services.[5]
Under President Mokgweetsi Masisi Botswana became more critical of the Zionist state. In November 2023, according to the government newspaper Daily News, he spoke of a "genocidal assault" on Gaza.[6]
Jewish community and religious life
History
According to the World Jewish Congress, Jewish life in Botswana is almost entirely modern. It is made up of Israeli expatriates working in agriculture, business and industry, and of migrants from South Africa. The WJC calls it the youngest and fastest-growing organised Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa. Sergio DellaPergola estimated 100 Jews in 1993.[1]
The community today
The figures vary. The WJC cites an estimate of about 100 Jews in 2020, but also says the Jewish Community of Botswana counts about 21. Community life is concentrated in Gaborone.[1] The Commonwealth Jewish Council puts the community at about 100, mostly Israelis working in agriculture and industry plus South Africans. It says:
- there is no synagogue, and Shabbat services are held in members' homes;
- there is no resident rabbi, and Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft visits from South Africa;
- kosher food comes from South Africa.[2]
How far is it Zionist? The community is formally tied to the Zionist state. Its head, Richard A. Lyons, also serves as the honorary consul for "Israel" in Botswana. The WJC describes him as the only Jew who is a full citizen of Botswana.[1] Most members are Israeli expatriates.[1][2]
Chabad
- Main article: Chabad-Lubavitch movement
Powerbase does not yet have a page on Chabad in Botswana, and no permanent Chabad centre was found there. Botswana is not among the ten countries with permanent centres under Chabad of Central Africa.[7] The Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States lists no rabbi in Botswana.[8]
Zionist movement and advocacy
No organised Zionist movement or pro-Israeli advocacy group was found in Botswana. The community's leader doubles as the Israeli honorary consul.[1]
Israeli state and commercial ties
Diplomatic relations
"Israel" and Botswana renewed diplomatic ties in 1993, after the Oslo Accords. "Israel" has no resident embassy. The WJC says a roving ambassador based in Jerusalem visits about four times a year, and an honorary consulate operates in Gaborone.[1] In 2025 the non-resident ambassador, Ofra Farhi, became ambassador in Lusaka and kept her Botswana post.[9] The WJC also mentions a programme under which students of the Botswana International University of Science and Technology complete their studies at Ben-Gurion University.[1]
Receiving Farhi in September 2022, Masisi said "Israel" had been "pivotal" to Botswana's growth through specialised support in mining, investment and water management.[10]
Diamonds
- In 2008 JCK listed the 16 clients approved as domestic sightholders of DTC Botswana, part of the De Beers system. Every client that had set up a cutting factory in the country was approved. The list included Ascot (Steinmetz). The magazine said Steinmetz held sights in both Botswana and Namibia.[3]
- ANCIR used the Panama Papers to report on a 2015 deal in which Diacore, "arguably De Beers largest sightholder", paid $9.5 million, half its value, for an exceptional $19 million diamond from De Beers. Diacore's local partners included Steinmetz Diamonds Botswana Limited.[11]
- No sourced link between Lev Leviev and Botswana's diamond industry was found. In 2004 JCK reported that De Beers' 2005–10 plan would deny Leviev a sight because he owned large mines of his own.[12]
Arms
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute records these Israeli deliveries to Botswana:
- eight RAM V-2 armoured vehicles, ordered in 1991 and delivered in 1991–92;
- 45 UT-25/UT-30 turrets for Swiss-built Piranha-5 armoured vehicles, ordered in 2016 and delivered in 2019–23.[13]
In 2022 the Sunday Standard cited UN Comtrade data showing that Botswana had imported arms from "Israel" every year from 2012 to 2018, the last year being worth $959,820. It reported that nothing had been bought since Masisi took office in 2018.[14] This does not fit SIPRI's record of Israeli turret deliveries in 2019–23.
Surveillance
- Cellebrite. The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that Botswana police used Cellebrite's Universal Forensic Extraction Device on the phone of the editor Oratile Dikologang, who was charged in 2020 over Facebook posts.[4] They also used it on the phone of the Mmegi journalist Tsaone Basimanebotlhe. Her phone was seized in July 2019 in an investigation of the former intelligence chief Isaac Kgosi.[15] In 2022 CPJ reported on a new law requiring service providers to install equipment that allows communications to be intercepted at all times.[16]
- Circles. Citizen Lab identified two Circles systems in Botswana: an unnamed system (2015–20) and one named "Bentley Bullevard". The second appeared to be run by the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services and was active from June 2015 to the time of the report.[5]
Trade
The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics records Israeli imports from Botswana of $106.4 million in 2025, $149.9 million in 2024 and $219.1 million in 2023, against $0.1 million in 2022. It records exports to Botswana of $13.4 million in 2025 (2024: $4.3 million).[17] The table does not give the goods involved.
Migration and aliyah
The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics does not list Botswana separately in its table of immigrants by country of birth.[18] Migration runs mainly the other way: Israeli expatriates make up much of Botswana's Jewish community.[1]
Political interference
The Israeli-made Cellebrite tools were used by police hunting for journalists' sources.[4][15] The Circles system was linked to the intelligence service.[5]
Botswana's position on the Zionist state shifted under Masisi:
- In 2022 the Sunday Standard wrote that the Masisi government had abandoned Botswana's traditional pro-Israeli line. It noted Botswana's support at the UN Human Rights Council for an inquiry into Israeli abuses.[14]
- On 9 October 2023 the government condemned attacks on civilians "by both sides" and called for an end to hostilities.[19]
- In November 2023 Masisi spoke of the "genocidal assault on the people of Gaza".[6]
No credible sourced link between Jeffrey Epstein and Zionist or Israeli activity in Botswana was found, so this page has no Epstein section.
See also
- Beny Steinmetz
- Cellebrite
- Circles
- Zionist movement
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to Namibia
- Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to South Africa
External links
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 World Jewish Congress, Community in Botswana World Jewish Congress, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Commonwealth Jewish Council, Botswana Commonwealth Jewish Council, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Rob Bates, Botswana adds 16 sightholders JCK, 1 January 2008.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Jonathan Rozen, Equipped by US, Israeli firms, police in Botswana search phones for sources Committee to Protect Journalists, 5 May 2021.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Bill Marczak et al., Running in Circles: Uncovering the Clients of Cyberespionage Firm Circles The Citizen Lab, 1 December 2020.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Daily News (Botswana), Botswana supports UN response dailynews.gov.bw, 15 November 2023.
- ↑ Shloimy Galperin, Getting Central Africa's Rabbis Into One Room Isn't Easy Chabad.org, 10 June 2026.
- ↑ Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, The Rabbis rabbisalliance.org, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ Nava Freiberg, Foreign minister departs for Zambia to inaugurate new embassy The Times of Israel, 19 August 2025.
- ↑ Daily News (Botswana), President Masisi receives more diplomats dailynews.gov.bw, 7 September 2022.
- ↑ Khadija Sharife and Ntibinyane Ntibinyane, Exceptional diamond deal suggests flaws in De Beers, Botswana relationship ANCIR, accessed 21 October 2026.
- ↑ JCK, De Beers expected to deny Lev Leviev a sight JCK, 22 December 2004.
- ↑ Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI Arms Transfers Database SIPRI, accessed 20 October 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Sunday Standard Reporter, Botswana cuts military diplomacy with Israel Sunday Standard, 30 March 2022.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Jonathan Rozen, Botswana police use Israeli Cellebrite tech to search another journalist's phone Committee to Protect Journalists, 14 July 2021.
- ↑ Jonathan Rozen, Botswana journalists remain 'vigilant' under new surveillance law Committee to Protect Journalists, 4 May 2022.
- ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Foreign Trade Statistics Monthly, Table D1: Trade Countries – Imports and Exports CBS, December 2025 issue (library copy).
- ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Statistical Abstract of Israel 2024, Table 2.55: Immigrants, by period of immigration, country of birth and last country of residence CBS, 2024.
- ↑ Daily News (Botswana), Botswana condemns Israel-Palestine hostilities dailynews.gov.bw, 9 October 2023.