Christian community takes on Ramaphosa over downgrade

TALI FEINBERG

“In my open letter to the president, I said that he represents the continent’s Christian leaders, and that in his capacity as a South African who has accepted [the position] of chairperson of the African Union, he cannot take sides. Church leaders in every country are behind me,” Chapasuka said.

Last week, he wrote an open letter to President Cyril Ramaphosa from concerned Christian leaders about Minister of International Relation and Cooperation Lindiwe Sisulu’s announcement that South Africa had begun to downgrade its embassy in Tel Aviv. It was just one of many varied reactions around South Africa to the announcement, as well as a response worldwide.

“Thousands upon thousands of Christians visit Israel yearly. Many of them in large church groups,” the reverend said. “By downgrading the South African embassy, you are making it far more difficult for such people to travel with the security and safety of an embassy. Israel is the only country in the Middle East where the Christian population is growing. There is absolute freedom of religion for Christians and Muslims in Israel.”

But other religious groups welcomed the decision. Moulana Ebrahim I Bham, the secretary general of the Jamiatul Ulama Council of Muslim Theologians, wrote, “This move… is timely not only in showing the determination of the ANC-led South African government in expressing solidarity with the oppressed Palestinians, but also in setting a benchmark for the rest of the world. Other countries should emulate South Africa.” The Muslim Judicial Council also sent a letter of congratulations to Sisulu.

The South African Jews for a Free Palestine said, “We, members of the South African Jewish community, welcome the downgrade of the South African embassy in Israel to a liaison office. The downgrade… increases pressure on Zionist Israel to abandon apartheid, and move towards a secular and democratic Palestine/Israel that respects the rights of all its peoples. As such, we commend Minister Sisulu for standing her ground, and condemn the attacks on her.”

However, Mzoxolo Mpolase, the managing director at Political Analysis South Africa, wrote in Daily Maverick that the downgrade would only be detrimental to South Africa. “Any other country faced with such debilitating challenges would not put into jeopardy the near R10 billion worth of trade between South Africa and Israel, and would instead balance its own practical priorities against the real task of ensuring that the Israelis and Palestinians finally talk and hash out some kind of peace deal. Instead, like an ostrich in the sand, the ANC government is intent on acting out ideological and factional motivations, much to the detriment of its own people and position in the world.”

Political analyst Ralph Mathekga told the Mail & Guardian (M&G) that the decision might be “short-lived”, pointing out that South Africa’s elections are coming up on 8 May, and, as he put it, “political parties usually yield to popular ideas during this time… I wonder if there will be a re-opening of talks after the elections. My view is that South Africa cannot ignore the state of Israel.”

Benji Shulman from the South Africa Israel Forum told the M&G that he was convinced that South Africa could not fully sever ties with Israel. “From our perspective, this is at best a cosmetic change,” he said. “It certainly doesn’t assist in creating peace; it doesn’t assist in helping South Africa’s trade balance.”

The Democratic Alliance criticised the decision, but the Congress of South African Trade Unions, the South African Communist Party, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Boycott Divestment Sanctions South Africa all welcomed the downgrade announcement. Mosiuoa Lekota, the leader of the Congress of the People said the decision went against the grain of democracy. “South Africa should be playing a mediating role,” he said.

The Inkatha Freedom Party said the move was “regressive diplomacy which does not advance the agenda of peace and stability in the Middle East. Moreover it is a decision that is nothing more than short-term ‘electioneering’ on the part of the ANC without giving due consideration as to the impact this will have on South Africa in the long term in respect of not only maintaining a neutral two-state solution stance, but also in respect of South Africa’s beneficial trade, development, and investment relationship with Israel.”

The African Christian Democratic Party’s Reverend Kenneth Meshoe said that his party was “shocked” and “appalled” and expressed his opposition “in the strongest possible terms”.

“The decision smacks of double standards. South Africa maintains full diplomatic ties with many countries that have been accused of gross human-rights violations (including Iran, Syria, and North Korea). South Africa has also indicated its intention to upgrade its diplomatic ties with Morocco, in spite of its differences with that country regarding the Western Sahara issue.”

Political analyst Professor Sipho Seepe told Political Analysis South Africa that, “It will affect us [South Africa] in terms of the technology that we would have found in exchange with Israel,” and “Other countries will sympathise with Israel… If we [South Africa] take a stance like that, we should also not be surprised when some of those countries begin to take the same posture [against South Africa], out of solidarity with Israel. Our actions may be principled, but they may also have repercussions.”

The South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) launched a petition calling for the reinstatement of South Africa’s ambassador to Israel and a halt to the downgrade. It was signed by more than 60 000 people.

“Such a move will be contrary to South African foreign policy, which has always called for engagement with all parties in a conflict. We note further that efforts to downgrade the South African Embassy in Israel will have a deeply negative impact on the South African Christian community. A direct consequence of such a change in diplomatic relations with Israel will in addition violate South Africans’ constitutional rights with regards to freedom of movement, free choice, and matters of faith,” says the petition, amongst other points.

The SAZF’s Rowan Polovin summed it up in Business Day: “There is something foul about South Africa’s foreign policy. It stands continuously with the anti-Western bloc of dictators, fascists, and human-rights abusers.

“On the issue of cutting ties with Israel and allowing the anti-Semitic BDS fringe movement to capture foreign policy, Sisulu and the ANC should proceed with extreme caution. South Africa is focusing on rebuilding its standing in the international community and being taken seriously on international affairs. Moreover, South Africa needs Israel’s help to solve local problems such as water scarcity, access to electricity, and [the provision of] agricultural solutions that would take millions out of poverty and turn our deserts into fields of plenty. Millions of South Africans would not take kindly to their future being stolen by petty short-term interests. Nor will they appreciate the negative effect this will have on local job creation and our already struggling economy. Cutting out Israel only cuts out South Africa’s future.”