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Things I learned in SA
As I approach the end of four wonderful years as Israel’s ambassador in South Africa, I have been reflecting on many lessons learned here.
ARTHUR LENK
1. Africa and Israel have so much in common and have much to share with each other. The concerns of so many people: food security independence, successful water management and a government capacity to protect us from the dangers of uncertain, often dangerous neighbourhoods, have all brought Israel and Africa closer in recent years.
2. South Africa’s liberation story still has resonance and inspiration for so many of us around the world. South Africa’s peaceful resolution, as imperfect as it may seem in 2017, offers hope to people where conflicts seemingly have no solutions. Just as you had great leaders who understood that change comes via compromise, negotiation and rejecting of violence, many lessons can be applied to other conflicts.
3. Both Israel and South Africa were born from great tragedy. Although Israel was born a mere three years after the end of the Holocaust, its leaders immediately focused on development of our people and our society. Such a world view allowed Israel to transform from a tiny, besieged, agricultural based country to today’s developed, creativity rich “start-up nation”.
4. In the main, South Africa’s Struggle movements clearly rejected terrorism. Despite an intimate connection with various Palestinian liberation groups, it pointedly did not hijack airplanes, deploy suicide bombers or target civilians.
5. The South African conversation on responsibility, privilege and transformation, has been a meaningful learning experience when it is respectful and builds bridges instead of being abused for political score-keeping, recrimination and laying blame.
The Jewish tradition of “tikkun olam”, repairing the world, is an important response to this conversation.
6. My Jewish brothers and sisters have played a key role in South Africa over the years. Despite comprising less than one fifth of one per cent of the population of this country, they have had an outsized impact on its economic and social development.
7. Surprisingly perhaps, South Africa’s Jews and Muslims have much in common. Both are very small minorities with long histories of social and political activism here while building proud, traditional communities. Both have deeply integrated into life over generations with similar interests, voting patterns and concerns.
8. Despite radically one-sided media coverage and despite limited engagement by the ANC, a majority of South Africans, of all backgrounds, are friendly to Israel and to constructive partnerships.
A Facebook page for “South African Friends of Israel” has over 102 000 followers.
9. The Palestinian lobby in SA scares lots of people. They have violently broken up a classical music recital, put a pig’s head in a supermarket, chanted “Shoot the Jew”. But they offer South Africans nothing – not jobs, exports or technology, or even bring support of actual voters for any political party. They don’t even really offer solidarity for Palestinians.
10. The lazy use of the word “apartheid” in regard to Israel, is insulting to South African history and factually wrong.
Just like Jews are justifiably defensive about abuse and watering down of the loaded word “Holocaust”, so too, South Africans should forcefully reject an attempted hijacking of “apartheid”.
11. Israelis and South Africans are already working together. Bilateral trade is significant and has room to grow because of complementary focuses. Over the past few years, Israeli exports to South Africa have increased despite the economic slowdown here.
With a similar effort, South Africa could increase its market share in Israel’s booming economy.