Jewish, Zionist and Israeli connections to South Africa

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Africa's largest Jewish community and its Zionist bodies, apartheid-era military and nuclear cooperation, the ANC's diplomatic downgrade, the 2023 ICJ genocide case, South Africans in the Israeli army, boycott campaigns and trade

South Africa has the largest Jewish community in Africa, numbering about 50,000 today, with a dense network of communal and Zionist institutions headed by the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) and the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF).[1][2] Apartheid South Africa was one of "Israel"'s closest military partners in the 1970s and 1980s, including on nuclear-capable missiles.[3] Since the end of apartheid the African National Congress government has downgraded relations with the Zionist state, and on 29 December 2023 it brought a genocide case against "Israel" at the International Court of Justice.[4] The main communal bodies have opposed the case.

Jewish community and religious life

History

The South African Zionist Federation was founded in 1898, and it says it played "a quiet but critical diplomatic role" around the 1917 Balfour Declaration through its relationship with Jan Smuts.[2] The South African Jewish Board of Deputies was founded in 1912. According to the Board, the community numbered about 90,000 before the Second World War and grew to 118,200 by 1970, helped by immigrants from "Israel" and from Zimbabwe, Zambia and Namibia.[1]

The community today

The SAJBD says the community "numbers around 50,000", the largest on the continent, living mainly in Johannesburg and Cape Town, with "a comprehensive network of welfare, educational, political, religious, and Zionist institutions in every major centre".[1] Its religious head is Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, founder of the International Shabbat Project.[5] Communal fundraising runs through the Israel United Appeal United Communal Fund (IUA-UCF), which describes itself as "the fundraising arm for the SAZF, SAJBD, Israel Centre, SAFI and SAUJS",[6] and in Cape Town through the United Jewish Campaign (UJC).[7]

How far is it Zionist? The mainstream communal structure is strongly Zionist, though the Board of Deputies presents itself as a civil rights body rather than a Zionist one.

  • South African Jewish Board of Deputies: The Board calls itself "the Jewish community's recognised civil rights body, monitoring antisemitism and safeguarding the civil liberties and religious rights of Jewish South Africans".[1] In a 2025 column on the Board's mandate, Karen Milner described it as being "the voice of the Jewish community in the political arena", and wrote that she could "call the majority party out on its obsessive prejudice against Israel".[8] But the Board is listed as an affiliate of the SAZF and is funded through the IUA-UCF.[2][6] In January 2024 it said South Africa's ICJ case "can only be interpreted as antisemitic", given "South Africa's close relationship with Hamas".[9] After the court's provisional measures it said the ICJ had recognised "Israel's right to self-defence".[10] It and the SAZF were angered by the ANC's 2017 decision to downgrade the embassy.[11] In practice it is a firmly Zionist body.
  • Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein: Goldstein called the ICJ hearings "a theater of the absurd" and said the UN-appointed judges "by definition, lack the moral authority to stand in judgment over any democracy, especially Israel".[12] On X he called the allegations "grotesquely false" and accused South Africa of acting "as Iran's ally and proxy in the Islamic state's plans to destroy the Jewish state".[13] In JNS he called the genocide charge "a defamatory lie".[5] His public positions are openly Zionist.

Chabad

Main article: Chabad Lubavitch of South Africa

Chabad arrived in 1972, when the Lubavitcher Rebbe sent Rabbi Mendel and Rebbetzin Mashi Lipskar to South Africa as the first emissaries. Their first Chabad House was in Harley Street, Yeoville, Johannesburg.[14] South Africa is outside the remit of the Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, which lists no rabbi there.[15]

Zionist movement and advocacy

The South African Zionist Federation says it "looks after matters relating to Israel and its image in South Africa". It describes its mission, "as advocates for Israel in this country", as "to build strong support and love for the Land and State of Israel", and says it works "to reduce the amount of anti-Israel sentiment in South African political, religious, and cultural communities through education, advocacy, and lobbying".[2] Its own account of its history includes:

  • coordinating 804 Machal volunteers for the 1948 war;
  • planning and funding the South African section of Ashkelon in the 1950s;
  • acting as "a global frontline defender of Zionist ideology" against the 1975 UN "Zionism is racism" resolution.

Since 7 October 2023 and the ICJ case it describes itself as being in its most active "defensive" era, calling South Africa Zionism's "Ground Zero" and "combatting the BDS movement". It is the umbrella body for affiliates including:

How far is it Zionist? The SAZF is explicitly a Zionist advocacy and lobbying body.

The Jewish National Fund of South Africa says it is "over 120 years old". Its projects include:

  • the South African Memorial Forest, which "commemorates South African soldiers that fell defending Israel";
  • bomb shelters;
  • bringing Israeli water technology to South Africa.

It aims to create "the next generation of climate change activists and Israel supporters". Its executive includes a head of the South Africa desk at KKL-JNF.[16] Its historic projects include:

  • Ramat Yohanan, founded in 1931 and named after Smuts;
  • the drainage of the Huleh in 1950–58.[17]

How far is it Zionist? Wholly. It is the local arm of the JNF.

The Cape Town United Jewish Campaign has three branches, for the community, welfare and the Israel United Appeal. The Israel United Appeal branch "maintains our deep connection to the state of Israel, supporting South African immigrants, and Israel's outreach work around the world".[7] It channels funds to Keren Hayesod ("the worldwide fundraising organization for Israel") and to Telfed, the organisation for "ex-Southern African" immigrants in "Israel".[18] How far is it Zionist? Its Israel United Appeal branch is Zionist fundraising; its community and welfare branches are not.

Bnei Akiva South Africa is a branch of World Bnei Akiva. It has centres in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, teaches "religious Zionist ideology", and says "the ultimate realization of this vision is Aliyah".[19] Habonim Dror Southern Africa has worked with young people aged 9 to 24 since 1930. It traces its roots to Dror, "a socialist-Zionist Movement", and lists "building up Israel" among its values.[20] How far is it Zionist? Both youth movements are explicitly Zionist and encourage aliyah.

Non-Zionist and anti-Zionist Jewish groups

Jewish Voices for a Just Peace was a loose national network active from about 2013. According to Jewish Currents, it "subsequently gave rise to the anti-Zionist group" South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP).[21] SAJFP says: "We reject Zionism as a political project committed to an exclusive Jewish State in Historic Palestine".[22] It describes Zionism as "built on inequality, exclusion, settler-colonialism and violent ethnic cleansing".[23] It welcomed the ANC's 2017 downgrade resolution as "a practical step towards a just peace".[11] How far is it Zionist? Not at all. SAJFP is explicitly anti-Zionist.

Israeli state and commercial ties

Apartheid-era military and nuclear cooperation

In 2010 The Guardian published "top secret" South African minutes of 1975 meetings, uncovered by Sasha Polakow-Suransky for his book The Unspoken Alliance: Israel's secret alliance with apartheid South Africa. They show that the defence minister P. W. Botha asked for nuclear warheads and that Shimon Peres, then "Israel"'s defence minister, offered them "in three sizes". The Israeli authorities tried to stop the documents being declassified, and a spokeswoman for Peres said there were "never any negotiations".[3] The papers include:

  • a secret military agreement signed by Peres and Botha;
  • a letter from Peres of November 1974 referring to a "common hatred of injustice".[24]

The South African History Archive published a March 1975 memorandum by the military chief Lt-Gen Biermann on the Jericho weapon system, declassified in 2003.[25]

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute records Israeli arms transfers to South Africa, many "delivered while South Africa under UN arms embargo":

  • Reshef ("Minister" class) missile boats, six of them built in South Africa, with Gabriel missiles (ordered 1974);
  • M-68 155mm guns (1976);
  • Scout drones (1980);
  • 37 Kfir fighters rebuilt as the Cheetah-C (ordered 1982, delivered 1992–94);
  • Python-3 missiles and Boeing 707 aircraft (1985).

After apartheid it records EL/M-2208 radars (1996) and Litening targeting pods for the Gripen (2009).[26]

The ANC's diplomatic downgrade and the ambassador recalls

In December 2017 the ANC conference "unanimously resolved to direct the SA government to immediately and unconditionally downgrade the South African Embassy in Israel to a liaison office".[11] In May 2018 the government recalled Ambassador Sisa Ngombane "with immediate effect" over "the indiscriminate and grave manner of the latest Israeli attack" in Gaza.[27] In April 2019 the minister of international relations, Lindiwe Sisulu, said the ambassador would not be replaced and that the liaison office in Tel Aviv would have "no political mandate, no trade mandate and no development cooperation mandate".[28]

On 6 November 2023 the Cabinet recalled all South African diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultations. It said the "disparaging remarks" of Israeli Ambassador Eliav Belotsercovsky made his position "more and more untenable".[29] On 21 November 2023 the National Assembly voted by 248 to 91 for a motion to close the Israeli embassy and suspend relations until a ceasefire, after "Israel" had recalled its ambassador.[30][31]

The ICJ genocide case

On 29 December 2023 South Africa filed an application against "Israel" under the Genocide Convention over Gaza. On 26 January 2024 the court indicated binding provisional measures by 15 votes to 2 and 16 to 1. They ordered "Israel" to:

  • prevent acts under Article II of the Convention;
  • prevent and punish incitement to genocide;
  • enable humanitarian assistance;
  • preserve evidence;
  • report back within a month.[4]

"Israel" filed its Counter-Memorial in March 2026, objecting to the court's jurisdiction. A court order of 21 May 2026 set 22 November 2027 for South Africa's Reply and 22 May 2029 for "Israel"'s Rejoinder.[32][33] The SAJBD and the Chief Rabbi condemned the case (see above). In February 2025 a US executive order cutting aid to South Africa cited its "accusing Israel, not Hamas, of genocide in the International Court of Justice".[34]

South Africans in the Israeli army

On 18 December 2023 the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) warned that "any person joining the IDF without the necessary permission of the NCACC is breaking the law and can be prosecuted". The NCACC is the National Conventional Arms Control Committee.[35] In April 2024 the Palestine Solidarity Campaign protested at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). It said it had identified about 80 South Africans serving as soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces and had been lodging complaints since 2014.[36] In a parliamentary reply, DIRCO said enforcement lay with the justice, defence and state security departments and the NPA.[37] In August 2025 News24 reported that the sniper Aaron Bayhack had not sought authorisation under the Regulation of Foreign Military Assistance Act before joining the IDF, "triggering a Hawks investigation".[38] In November 2025 activists asked the Gauteng High Court to force the NPA to decide on a criminal case against an alleged IDF veteran of the 2014 Gaza war.[39]

Companies, boycotts and surveillance

Netafim South Africa has sold irrigation systems in the region since 1992.[40] The South African BDS Coalition targets ZZ2, which it calls the main distributor for the two farms of the Israeli seedling firm Hishtil in the Western Cape and Limpopo.[41] In April 2024 a number of Cape pharmacies stopped stocking Teva medicines to become an "Apartheid Free Zone".[42] In January 2025 the South African Police Service received a Cellebrite UFED phone-extraction device worth R466,000, donated by the British High Commission.[43]

Trade

The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics records Israeli imports from South Africa of $129.9 million in 2025 (2024: $141.0 million) and exports to South Africa of $158.3 million (2024: $173.4 million).[44]

Migration and aliyah

The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics counts immigrants born in South Africa as follows:

  • 666 in 1948–51;
  • 3,783 in 1961–71;
  • 5,604 in 1972–79;
  • 3,575 in the 1980s;
  • 2,916 in the 1990s;
  • 4,526 in 2000–2020;
  • 471 in 2021, 466 in 2022 and 275 in 2023.[45]

Aliyah is promoted by Bnei Akiva,[19] and South African immigrants are supported through the UJC's Israel United Appeal branch and Telfed.[18]

Political interference

The SAZF openly lobbies to reduce "anti-Israel sentiment in South African political, religious, and cultural communities".[2] The SAJBD describes itself as the community's "voice... in the political arena".[8] During the ICJ case Chief Rabbi Goldstein accused the government of acting as "Iran's ally and proxy".[13] The US executive order of February 2025 tied the halt of American aid partly to South Africa's case against "Israel".[34]

Jeffrey Epstein

Emails released by the US Justice Department suggest that Jeffrey Epstein helped to arrange a dinner for President Jacob Zuma at the Ritz Hotel in London on 5 March 2010, at the end of Zuma's state visit to Britain.[46][47] On 4 March Mark Lloyd, writing as "a friend of Jeffrey Epstein", invited a Russian model, saying: "Jeffrey suggested that I invite you, as you would be certain to add some real glamour to the occasion."[48] Epstein told Peter Mandelson that he had invited "a beautiful russina" to attend. Afterwards a correspondent thanked Epstein for the introduction and wrote that Zuma "was much more impressive and engaging than I thought he would be!"[46] The Jacob Zuma Foundation called the reports "agenda-driven journalism built on innuendo" and "guilt by association", and said there was no unlawful or improper conduct by Zuma.[46] A SABC News journalist said that it was "very unlikely" and unsupported by evidence that Epstein was in London during the visit.[49]

In September 2002 Bill Clinton made a nine-day trip to Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique and South Africa on Jeffrey Epstein's plane, with the actors Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker, working on HIV and AIDS prevention, democratisation and economic development. Through a spokesman Clinton later praised Epstein's "insights and generosity during the recent trip to Africa".[50] Clinton's office sent Ghislaine Maxwell the proposed manifest for the legs, which ran from Maputo to Cape Town, then to Johannesburg and London.[51]

See also

External links

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 South African Jewish Board of Deputies, Who We Are SAJBD, accessed 21 October 2026 (South African Jewish Board of Deputies-side).
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 South African Zionist Federation, About us SAZF, accessed 21 October 2026 (South African Zionist Federation-side).
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chris McGreal, Revealed: how Israel offered to sell South Africa nuclear weapons The Guardian, 23 May 2010.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 International Court of Justice, Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel): The Court indicates provisional measures Press release No. 2024/6, 26 January 2024.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Warren Goldstein, Genocide allegations against Israel endanger Jews everywhere JNS, 16 January 2024 (Warren Goldstein-side).
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Israel United Appeal United Communal Fund, Home IUA-UCF, accessed 21 October 2026 (Israel United Appeal-United Communal Fund-side).
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 United Jewish Campaign, Our Story UJC, accessed 21 October 2026 (United Jewish Campaign-side).
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Karen Milner, Board's mandate is clear SA Jewish Report, 29 May 2025 (South African Jewish Board of Deputies-side).
  9. ↑ Karen Milner, SA's case at the ICJ an inversion of justice – SAJBD Politicsweb, 11 January 2024 (South African Jewish Board of Deputies-side).
  10. ↑ TimesLIVE, SA Jewish Board of Deputies says ICJ recognised Israel's right to self-defence TimesLIVE, 26 January 2024.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Azad Essa, S Africa: ANC resolves to downgrade embassy in Israel Al Jazeera, 21 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Alan Rosenbaum, 'ICJ has no moral authority,' says South Africa chief rabbi The Jerusalem Post, 11 January 2024.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 The Citizen, Protest: Chief rabbi tears into ANC over ICJ decision The Citizen, 2 January 2024.
  14. ↑ Saul Kamionsky, Lipskars celebrate 50 years of following their calling SA Jewish Report, 27 January 2022.
  15. ↑ Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States, The Rabbis rabbisalliance.org, accessed 21 October 2026 (Alliance of Rabbis in Islamic States-side).
  16. ↑ JNF South Africa, About JNF SA, accessed 21 October 2026 (JNF South Africa-side).
  17. ↑ JNF South Africa, Key Israel-Related Projects Supported or Initiated by JNF South Africa JNF SA, accessed 21 October 2026 (JNF South Africa-side).
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 United Jewish Campaign, Israel United Appeal UJC, accessed 21 October 2026 (United Jewish Campaign-side).
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Bnei Akiva South Africa, About Bnei Akiva SA, accessed 21 October 2026 (Bnei Akiva South Africa-side).
  20. ↑ Habonim Dror Southern Africa, About Habonim, accessed 21 October 2026 (Habonim Dror Southern Africa-side).
  21. ↑ Maya Schkolne, Office Hours: Merle Favis Jewish Currents, 19 December 2024.
  22. ↑ South African Jews for a Free Palestine, About SAJFP, accessed 21 October 2026 (critical).
  23. ↑ South African Jews for a Free Palestine, SAJFP's Core Values SAJFP, accessed 21 October 2026 (critical).
  24. ↑ Chris McGreal, The memos and minutes that confirm Israel's nuclear stockpile The Guardian, 23 May 2010.
  25. ↑ South African History Archive, Declassified documents on apartheid South Africa–Israel talks on nuclear weapons SAHA, May 2010.
  26. ↑ Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, SIPRI Arms Transfers Database SIPRI, accessed 20 October 2026.
  27. ↑ South African Government, South African Government recalls Ambassador Sisa Ngombane from Israel with immediate effect gov.za, 14 May 2018 (South African government-side).
  28. ↑ Politicsweb, We won't have an ambassador in Israel – Lindiwe Sisulu Politicsweb, April 2019.
  29. ↑ SAnews, SA recalls diplomats in Israel for consultation SAnews, 6 November 2023 (South African government-side).
  30. ↑ Al Jazeera, South Africa lawmakers vote to suspend Israel ties, close embassy Al Jazeera, 21 November 2023.
  31. ↑ Daniel De Simone and Basillioh Rukanga, Israel recalls its ambassador from South Africa BBC News, 21 November 2023.
  32. ↑ International Court of Justice, Order of 21 May 2026 (South Africa v. Israel), 21 May 2026.
  33. ↑ SAnews, Presidency notes latest ICJ order in South Africa's genocide case against Israel SAnews, 3 June 2026 (South African government-side).
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 The White House, Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa whitehouse.gov, February 2025 (US government-side).
  35. ↑ Department of International Relations and Cooperation, South African nationals to avoid joining foreign armed forces which may contribute to the violation of domestic and international law DIRCO, 18 December 2023 (South African government-side).
  36. ↑ Carlo Peterson, PSC calls on NPA to prosecute South Africans assisting the Israeli armed forces EWN, 15 April 2024.
  37. ↑ Parliamentary Monitoring Group, Question NW556 to the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation PMG, October 2024 (South African government-side).
  38. ↑ Tankiso Makhetha, SA man serving in Israeli army sniper unit faces investigation for illegal military service News24, 6 August 2025.
  39. ↑ Zelda Venter, Court asked to probe government's role in South Africans fighting for Israel in Gaza IOL, 25 November 2025.
  40. ↑ Netafim South Africa, Product Overview Netafim, July 2024.
  41. ↑ South African BDS Coalition, Campaigns SA BDS Coalition, accessed 21 October 2026 (critical).
  42. ↑ Shakirah Thebus, Number of Cape pharmacies ditch Israeli medicines to become 'Apartheid Free Zone' Cape Argus, 19 April 2024.
  43. ↑ ProtectionWeb, SAPS receives over R8 million in donations, including Cellebrite UFED device ProtectionWeb, 24 January 2025.
  44. ↑ Central Bureau of Statistics (Israel), Foreign Trade Statistics Monthly, Table D1: Trade Countries – Imports and Exports CBS, December 2025 issue (library copy) (Israeli government-side).
  45. ↑ 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 (Israeli government-side).
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 46.2 BBC News, South Africa ex-President Zuma mentioned in Epstein emails BBC News, 3 February 2026.
  47. ↑ Business Day, Former president Jacob Zuma in the Epstein files Business Day, 1 February 2026.
  48. ↑ Email copied to Jeffrey Epstein about a dinner for Jacob Zuma, 4 March 2010, US Department of Justice Epstein files release, Data Set 9, EFTA00763363 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
  49. ↑ Isidore Kouwonou, Ce que les documents dans l'affaire Epstein révèlent sur l'Afrique et certaines personnalités BBC News Afrique, 25 February 2026 (in French).
  50. ↑ Angelo Fichera and Saranac Hale Spencer, The Epstein Connections Fueling Conspiracy Theories FactCheck.org, 15 August 2019.
  51. ↑ Email from the Office of President William J. Clinton to Ghislaine Maxwell, "Africa Trip Information", 10 September 2002, US Department of Justice Epstein files release, Data Set 9, EFTA00578629 (mirror), accessed 21 October 2026.
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