South Africa: Thousands March in Pretoria to Demand Full Resumption of Ties With Israel

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It is remarkable that so many people turned out for this despite the raging antisemitism of the African National Congress. Pro-jihad former South African President (and polygamist and accused rapist) Jacob Zuma had downgraded  South Africa’s embassy in Israel to “Liaison Office” status. Along with Mahmoud Abbas, they have tried to stop Israel from achieving further diplomatic relations with African countries.

“Thousands Rally in South Africa’s Capital to Demand Full Resumption of Ties With Israel,” by Ben Cohen, Algemeiner, July 26, 2018:

Thousands of South African supporters of Israel marched through the streets of Pretoria, the capital, on Wednesday, demanding the reinstatement of South Africa’s envoy to Israel, along with an end to the efforts of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to further downgrade diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.

Rallying on Wednesday outside Union Buildings — the seat of the South African government — the predominantly Christian marchers, totaling around 5,000 in number, carried placards reading “SA Bless Israel” and “No Cutting Ties With Israel.” South Africa’s ambassador in Tel Aviv, Sisa Ngombane, was recalled to Pretoria on May 14 as a gesture of solidarity with the violent Palestinian demonstrations on the Israel-Gaza border.

Political party leaders at the rally included Mosiuoa Lekota of the Congress of the People (COPE) and Rev. Kenneth Meshoe of the African Democratic Christian Party (ADCP), South African news outlet IOL reported. A petition with 41,000 signatures urging the restoration of ties with Israel was presented to the South African presidency’s office.

Rev. Meshoe told the crowd that the ANC’s forthcoming bid in 2019 for the votes of South Africa’s professed Christians — more than 80 percent of the country’s population of 56 million — might be rebuffed if its political and diplomatic campaign against Israel continues.

At its special conference in December 2017 where members of Hamas were honored, the ANC voted to downgrade South Africa’s embassy in Israel to a “Liaison Office.” Over the last six months, the ruling party has stepped up its anti-Israel rhetoric amid the unrest on the Gaza border, further raising the profile of the country’s vocal boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement.

“The people that are here, the majority of them are Christians who are saying to the ANC, ‘If you don’t listen to these thousands who are here to represent millions of Christians in South Africa, who are saying do not downgrade the Israeli embassy, then next year Hamas, which influences you, won’t be there to vote for you,’” Rev. Meshoe declared.

He added that anyone who advocated cutting ties with Israel was “undermining our faith.”

“Every year, you get thousands of Christians who go on a pilgrimage to Israel and we don’t want that to be undermined by people who are expecting votes from the Christians,” Meshoe said.

In his address, COPE leader Mosiuoa Lekota emphasized that the sympathy among South Africans for the plight of the Palestinians was being exploited by activists opposed to Israel. “We cannot support or accept that some of the young people and some of the people who support Palestine now use our country as a platform to attack Israel,” Lekota said.

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Suresh
Suresh
5 years ago

Muslim Lobbyists for OIC/saudi/qatar pay media, politicians and other groups to run anti-Israel propaganda.

And Finally Vatican Bishop confesses: “Senior Catholic officials are being paid off by George Soros to promote mass Muslim migration into Europe” https://tinyurl.com/y7hllebo

Soon he would be kicked to the curb exposing the corrupt clergy

felix1999
felix1999
5 years ago

It is the CHRISTIANS standing up fr Israel!

“Rev. Meshoe told the crowd that the ANC’s forthcoming bid in 2019 for the votes of South Africa’s professed Christians — more than 80 percent of the country’s population of 56 million — might be rebuffed if its political and diplomatic campaign against Israel continues.”

David Sinclair
David Sinclair
5 years ago

Wish I had known about this rally. I live in Pretoria and I fully support Israel.

R. Arandas
R. Arandas
5 years ago

South Africa maintains full bilateral relations with countries like North Korea and Iran and does not object to their treatment of dissidents and minority groups. Hmmm, I wonder why?
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2018-01-17-foreign-relations-sa-fails-to-respond-to-us-request-to-downgrade-relations-with-north-korea/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran–South_Africa_relations

Alleged-Comment
Alleged-Comment
5 years ago

Hmmmm…. this is unusual. Well, if they want prosperity, this is what they have to do.

JoeNormal
JoeNormal
5 years ago

ALL leftists and communists (the ANC is the communist party in South Africa) HATE Israel and Jews. Whether it’s the Green Party or New Democratic Party in Canada, or the Democrats in the U.S., or the Labour Party in the U.K……it’s all the same.comment image

Wolverine
Wolverine
5 years ago

Mandela was a racist and a terrorist. Of course Barry Hussein emulates that.

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