WhatsappSouth African supporters of Israel marched through the streets in the thousands against the South African government’s bias against Israel.
#SouthAfrica supporters of #Israel march through the streets in the thousands against the South African government’s bias against #Israel. pic.twitter.com/9qiX8VuS9E
— Israeli Culture (@IsraeliCulture) July 30, 2018
A Pleasant Change
The South African government is one of the most anti-Israeli governments in the world. The anti-Israel BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement was born in South Africa in the infamous Durban conference.
Most of the headlines about Israel we see from South Africa are those bashing Israel, calls to punish Israel and other anti-Israel stories.
It is a pleasure to see the thousands of South African supporters who marched through the streets of Pretoria, the capital of South Africa. They demanded 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.
South African Christian Supporters
This week more than 5,000 Christians demonstrated in South Africa’s capital, calling on the government to reinstate the country’s ambassador to Israel. The protest followed a 40,000 signature petition demanding that Pretoria preserve its ties with Israel. pic.twitter.com/qAMoBNqq4T
— WJC (@WorldJewishCong) July 27, 2018
“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.
Watch another wonderful speech at the Pretoria rally:
“This rally was a true representation of what the South African democracy and constitution is all about,” a spokesperson for South African Friends of Israel (SAFI) told The Algemeiner in an email on Thursday. “85 percent of South Africa’s population is Christian, and they strongly believe that a positive relationship with Israel can only be beneficial for this country and its people.”
