The Arab World is opening up to Israel, so should South Africa

[Solomon2]

Senior official: The Arab world is opening up to Israel, so should South Africa

One of Israel’s new foreign policy objectives is to improve its ties with African countries, Dore Gold tells 'Post.'

Foreign Ministry Director-General Dore Gold. (photo credit:FOREIGN MINISTRY)

South Africa should follow the course now being set by the Arab world and embrace Israel, Foreign Ministry Director- General Dore Gold said upon his return from a three-day trip to South Africa.

When he landed there on Thursday, he was the first director-general of Israel Foreign Ministry to visit South Africa in a decade. Gold had a pitch for the officials that he met.

“If the Arab world is opening up to Israel, why should South Africa stay on the sidelines?” Gold asked them during the visit that ended on Saturday night.

The two countries have full diplomatic ties, but an otherwise ambivalent and stressful relationship, particularly in light of South Africa’s strong sympathies for the Palestinian people and its stance against Israel’s hold on the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

In addition, feelings still run deep in South Africa over Israel’s past support for the former apartheid regime.

Gold arrived in South Africa at a particularly stressful moment, in the midst of “Israel Apartheid Week,” an event that has the support of a small number of politicians from the governing party, some of whom called for sanctions against Israel. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement first emerged in South Africa and remains strong there.

Gold met with his South African counterpart, ambassador Jerry Matjila on Thursday. The two men shook hands publicly and were photographed standing next to the flags of both their countries.

They also issued a joint statement of cooperation, which the BDS movement has since asked that the South African government to retract, but it has not done so.

The joint statement said that “officials from South Africa and Israel will work together on national priority issues such as water, agriculture, trade and science and technology. The sides also discussed the situation in the Middle East. The sides emphasized the importance of trade delegations in both directions.”

According to the statement, “The discussions were held in a positive atmosphere and a shared desire to deepen dialogue and friendly relations between South Africa and Israel.”

One of Israel’s new foreign policy objectives is to improve its ties with African countries, Gold told The Jerusalem Post.

“Israel is returning to Africa and Africa is returning to Israel,” Gold said.

On Monday in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Ghanaian minister of foreign affairs and regional integration Hanna Tetteh and spoke with her of the common values of democracy and rule of law that our countries share. They also discussed their joint battle against Islamic terrorism.

The Prime Minister said that our country’s relationship with Africa is very important and that most African countries wanted to improve those ties. Netanyahu also told Tetteh that Israel expected its allies to vote against anti-Israel resolutions at the UN.

Netanyahu is planning a major trip to Africa in July, where he is likely to visit Kenya and Uganda to mark the 40th anniversary of the Entebbe raid. He is not scheduled to visit South Africa.

Gold said that he has focused on the South African connection, particularly in response to initiatives from the South African government, including President Jacob Zuma, who sent envoys to meet with Gold. That was followed two months ago by an invitation from the South African Foreign Ministry to visit with its director-general.

“We built on that,” Gold said. “The dialogue went extremely well. One felt an openness and a willingness to try new things that have never been tried before,” he said.

The trip was also an opportunity for both sides to describe their national narrative to the other in an effort to promote better understanding, he said.

Gold was careful to visit sites that were important for post-apartheid South Africans, including Soweto – the Johannesburg township where mass protests occurred against apartheid and where former South African president Nelson Mandela lived when he was the leader of the anti-apartheid movement. His home is now a museum.

“I went to Mandela’s home and I met with students there,” said Gold.

In the guest book, he wrote that he had wanted to show his respect and that “Zionism is the national liberation movement of the Jewish people.”

He also visited the Liliesleaf Farm, a national heritage site in northern Johannesburg, which was once a farm where members of the National African Congress plotted to overthrow the apartheid government.

A Jewish family named Goldreich moved there, pretending to be the owners of the farm, and Mandela – when hiding out there – played the part of their cook.

Gold said he met with children of some of the Jewish activists from the farm. He also spoke to Jewish and Christian students at the University of the Witwatersrand.

“We tried to send a message that it is time for Israel and South Africa to put aside their differences and to build a new relationship,” he said.

“It is important for Israel to show that we have a strong respect for the struggle for freedom that was waged there,” he said. “This initial visit represents an important start, but there is considerable work still to do,” Gold said.

Charisse Zeifert of the Jewish Board of Deputies welcomed Gold’s trip, particularly given that it was during “Israel Apartheid Week.”

“The Jewish community was very encouraged by his visit. It showed that greater cooperation between the two countries is possible,” she said.

 

[Cohen1980]

Do you really believe that the Arab world is "opening up" to Israel? It's state policy in every Arab and Muslim country to propagandize hatred towards Jews and Israel. It's done officially and unofficially. How many Arab states recognize our right to exist? A basic right for every country and people. You tell me. Egypt and Jordan are exceptions and that's because we kicked their asses in 1967 during the Six-Day War and subsequently conquered all of Sinai. Just as we did during the Suez Crisis in 1956. Not to mention our victories in our war of independence and Yom Kippur in 1973.
I won't talk about the non-existent "Palestine" and the "Palestinians" as the entire world can see what they have been doing for over 100 years and continue to do within Israel.
I cannot trust any current Muslim regime or Muslim society as long as they are filled with this degree of backwardness, barbarism and pathological hatred. The sane minority among them are not brave enough to speak out against such awful ills within their overall community. Europeans know all about this as the Muslims have taken such traits with them to Europe. Antisemitism has not been this widespread in Europe since WW2 and this is largely due to the Muslim community in Westerm Europe. You might not be aware of this but it has been really bad lately.

 

[Solomon2]

Do you really believe that the Arab world is "opening up" to Israel? It's state policy in every Arab and Muslim country to propagandize hatred towards Jews and Israel. It's done officially and unofficially.

The propaganda has been especially bad since the devastation caused by ISIS: the more awful militant Islam is, the worse non-Muslims must be claimed to be. They seem to see Israel as a power that they are revolted by, yet want to imitate or serve their purposes. How long they can keep up their brain-cramping cognitive dissonance I don't know.

How many Arab states recognize our right to exist? A basic right for every country and people. You tell me.

Their peoples? Openly and publicly? None that I'm aware of.

I cannot trust any current Muslim regime or Muslim society as long as they are filled with this degree of backwardness, barbarism and pathological hatred.

There are very few indeed. The Kosovars and Kurds come to mind. The Turks used to be O.K. until Erdo started striving to become an autocrat.

The sane minority among them are not brave enough to speak out against such ills within their overall community. Europeans know all about this as the Muslims have taken such traits with them to Europe. Antisemitism has not been this widespread in Europe since WW2 and this is largely due to the Muslim community in Westerm Europe.

Not exclusively. Plenty of European jew-hatred out there. Awareness of European sponsorship of Arab antisemitism in the Muslim World and Israel is growing, too - the French started it in the nineteenth century and the Euros have been manipulating it for political and economic advantage since. Though I don't think they've yet realized, or acknowledged, how much their national identities of today have been altered as a result.

 

[Cohen1980]

The propaganda has been especially bad since the devastation caused by ISIS: the more awful militant Islam is, the worse non-Muslims must be claimed to be. They seem to see Israel as a power that they are revolted by, yet want to imitate or serve their purposes. How long they can keep up their brain-cramping cognitive dissonance I don't know.

Their peoples? Openly and publicly? None that I'm aware of.

There are very few indeed. The Kosovars and Kurds come to mind. The Turks used to be O.K. until Erdo started striving to become an autocrat.

Not exclusively. Plenty of European jew-hatred out there. Awareness of European sponsorship of Arab antisemitism in the Muslim World and Israel is growing, too - the French started it in the nineteenth century and the Euros have been manipulating it for political and economic advantage since. Though I don't think they've yet realized, or acknowledged, how much their national identities of today have been altered as a result.

ISIS and such terrorist groups all over the Muslim world are just symptoms of the aforementioned ills in the Muslim world. It's fair to say that there are more than enough of Muslim terrorist groups regardless of their sect which speaks volume on its own. Yet you have millions upon millions of seemingly "sane" Muslims who continue to not only believe but also propagandize that it's all a Jewish conspiracy.
Can anyone here mention a single Islamic and Muslim organization, party or movement which does not possess the traits that I have mentioned above and who are not hellbent on destroying Israel and Jews?
They used to be decent indeed compared to other Muslim communities although I might be generous here but I am afraid that this is changing for the worse.
The Europeans who propagandize hatred against Jews and Israel belong on the extreme fringes of the right and left. Otherwise the average European and Westerner has much more favorable views towards the Jewish community and Israel than the overall Muslim community. Most Europeans appreciate the enormous contribution of Jews in all walks of life in the Western world be it science, business, entertainment, art, music or literature etc. Unfortunately we cannot say the same about our Muslim neighbors in Europe or the Middle East.

 

[Solomon2]

ISIS and such terrorist groups all over the Muslim world are just symptoms of the aforementioned ills in the Muslim world. It's fair to say that there are more than enough of Muslim terrorist groups regardless of their sect which speaks volume on its own. Yet you have millions upon millions of seemingly "sane" Muslims who continue to not only believe but also propagandize that it's all a Jewish conspiracy.

Yes.

Can anyone here mention a single Islamic and Muslim organization, party or movement which does not possess the traits that I have mentioned above and who are not hellbent on destroying Israel and Jews?

I think that's a very good question.

They used to be decent indeed compared to other Muslim communities although I might be generous here but I am afraid that this is changing for the worse.

"They"?

The Europeans who propagandize hatred against Jews and Israel belong on the extreme fringes of the right and left.

The E.U. is financing illegal construction in Area C, numerous anti-Zionist groups in Israel itself, and of course is subsidizing the militancy of Hamas and the P.A.

Most Europeans appreciate the enormous contribution of Jews in all walks of life in the Western world be it science, business, entertainment, art, music or literature etc. Unfortunately we cannot say the same about our Muslim neighbors in Europe or the Middle East.

You might want to read a copy - difficult to get - of "The Forgotten Ally" by Pierre Van Paassen, published in 1943. I've mentioned it before:

Source: How 85 Jews captured 9000 Italian troops in Bardia, Libya in WWII

The book - which the British tried to suppress - describes Britain's postwar plans to manipulate the Arabs through anti-Zionism and antisemitism. Although written in 1943, what it predicts has played out pretty much exactly as the author predicted. And as the thread I linked to points out, the wartime history he describes is still cut out from Britain's official war history, even when, as in this case, the absence is obvious.

 

[DavidSling]

Deputy FM reveals Israel's secret ties with Indonesia

Tzipi Hotovely says there is "continuous contact" between Israel and Indonesia, despite the lack of official ties, and Israel is working to improve its relations with Jakarta.

Israeli and Indonesian flags. (photo credit:ING IMAGE/ASAP)

Israel has unofficial diplomatic ties with Indonesia, Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely said, responding Wednesday to a parliamentary question from MK Ahmed Tibi (Joint List) about Israel denying Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi entry to the Palestinian Authority.

Israel barred Marsudi from visiting her Palestinian counterpart Riyad al-Malki in Ramallah and dedicating the first honorary Indonesian consulate in the Palestinian Authority Sunday, because she did not plan to meet with Israeli officials. Tibi asked Hotovely to elaborate on the decision.

Hotovely explained that, though Israel and Indonesia, the largest Muslim nation in the world, do not have formal diplomatic ties, Foreign Ministry Deputy Director-General in the Asia-Pacific Division Mark Sofer recently visited Jakarta.

At that meeting, Israeli and Indonesian officials came to an understanding that Marsudi would meet with senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem during her visit to the region.

This is the procedure for all foreign officials; they visit Jerusalem and Ramallah, Hotovely explained, and Indonesia is not an exception.

"It was the Foreign Minister of Indonesia's decision to violate that understanding, and she understood that, by her action of skipping Jerusalem, she is going against the rules Israel set for official visits to the PA and Israel," Hotovely stated.

Hotovely said there is "continuous contact" between Israel and Indonesia, despite the lack of official ties, and Israel is working to improve its relations with Jakarta.

"We're seeing growth in our ties with Asia like never before, even though the Palestinian Authority and its leader are doing all it can to prevent the development of these relations," she stated. "Israel-Asia ties are getting stronger and stronger."

Tibi responded that Hotovely's answer proves that Israel is a "foreign ruler" over the Palestinians.

"A country with no ties to Israel, one of the biggest Muslim countries in the world, wants to enter the PA and meet with PA leaders. Why are you involved? [The PA] is a country recognized in the UN; the whole world recognizes it. Maybe this is a situation of foreign rule that must end. Your answer proves what I'm saying," he stated.

Hotovely called Tibi's question a provocation: "We are not a foreign regime. We are here as the legitimate government in the land of the Jewish People, in which there is an Arab minority with equal rights. You represent that minority."

The Deputy Foreign Minister added that diplomatic relations, including those between countries without official ties, are governed by understandings, and when they are blatantly violated, that is a breach of the diplomatic code.

"The respectable thing to do when there are secret ties, like those between Israel and Indonesia, is to respect the code," she stated. "When you break it, don't be surprised that you're preventing yourself from visiting the PA."

Marsudi met with Malki in Jordan, instead of visiting Ramallah.

Indonesia recognized Palestinian statehood in 1988, before the Oslo Accords, and PA President Mahmoud Abbas was in Jakarta last week, attending the Organization of Islamic States summit on the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Indonesia has refused to establish diplomatic ties with Israel until the conflict with the Palestinians has been resolved.

Deputy FM reveals Israel's secret ties with Indonesia - Israel News - Jerusalem Post