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South Africa Has Launched Another Effort to Attack Israel; Will It Ever Be Enough?
Anti-Israel protesters march through the streets of the township of Lenasia in Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct. 6, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Ihsaan Haffejee
It’s hard to express the extent of the disappointment that the Jewish community of South Africa have held towards the elected government of our country since October 7, 2023.
Despite rumors to the contrary, South Africa (or at least Johannesburg, the main Jewish city in the country) is still one of the easiest, safest places on Earth to live as a proud Jew — but you would be excused for thinking the worst based on the words and actions of our so-called leaders.
President Cyril Ramaphosa and his party, the African National Congress (ANC), have betrayed not just South Africa’s loyal Jewish community, but the very ideals on which post-Apartheid South Africa was formed: ideals crafted by the ANC itself under the exceptional stewardship of Nelson Mandela.
Immediately following Hamas’ unspeakably barbaric attack on Israel, the ANC’s minister of the department of international relations and cooperation (DIRCO) — Naledi Pandor — phoned the leaders of Hamas to offer her support. South Africa also took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on patently false charges of genocide.
To no one’s surprise, South Africa is now spear-heading a brand new anti-Israel initiative called The Hague Group.
Joining South Africa in The Hague Group are the governments of Malaysia, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, and Namibia — all of which either have terrible human rights records of their own or, like South Africa, are so plagued by the likes of corruption and sky-high violent crime rates that it’s rather difficult to believe that the whole thing is anything but a cynical ploy to divert attention from their own countries’ woes.
It becomes increasingly difficult to give The Hague Group any benefit of the doubt, as its blatant one-sidedness and single-mindedness makes it clear that though its goals may be crouched in human rights, international law, and democracy, they are anything but noble.
It would be one thing if it was set up to enforce international law and UN resolutions against not just Israel, but against all countries across the globe — for example, if it was about protecting the Uyghurs in China, the Ukranians from Putin’s Russia or the women of Iran from the Islamic Republic, as well as advocating for the Palestinian people.
But obviously it has no interest in other conflicts or any actual genocides; the whole effort is only an attempt to demonize and destroy Israel.
There are obviously precisely zero references to the events of October 7th or even Hamas in any of The Hague Group’s writings. There is also no mention of the influence of the Islamic Republic, the Palestinian Authority’s “Pay-for-Slay” program, the use of Palestinian civilians as human shields, or the constant barrage of rocket attacks from the Islamic Republic’s direct proxies in Hezbollah and the Houthis.
When South African President Ramaphosa proudly announced the formation of The Hague Group at the end of February, he once again doubled down on laying all the blame for the current war and the whole conflict squarely at the feet of Israel.
But then, none of this was unexpected. This is a political party and leadership that directly phoned Hamas after October 7. And it’s the very same ruling party that has rolled out the red carpet for members of Hamas, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Russia, and war criminals like Vladimir Putin and Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president charged with effectively orchestrating the actual genocide in South Sudan.
No surprise, then, that the launch of The Hague group was attended by a who’s who of anti-Israel individuals and groups, including the likes of NGOs Al-Haq and Al-Mezan, both of which have ties to radical Islamism and include members linked to Hamas and the Popular Front of the Liberation of Palestine. As for Progressive International, the parent organization of The Hague Group, it includes numerous extreme far-left groups like Code Pink, Students for Justice in Palestine, Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC), Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), and Momentum (UK), whose demonizations of Israel and praise for radical Islamist extremists would take too long to catalogue here.
To reiterate, South Africa is still a good place to live as a Jew. It’s just a place with a government, or at least a ruling party, that never misses an opportunity to squander any and all good will that comes their way. Some of it is incompetence. Some of it is corruption. And some of it, as in the case of The Hague Group, is about Soviet-era alliances that are as obsolete as they are dangerous — which is why the ANC has little shame about betraying the many South African Jews who joined the struggle against Apartheid and helped create a new South Africa. It also explains why South Africa is currently realigning the whole country with despotic regimes that represent the very opposite of the liberal-democratic ideals encapsulated in our constitution.
Of course, none of this will be of any help whatsoever to actual Palestinians — but for South Africa’s leaders, that’s besides the point.
Ilan Preskovsky is a freelance features writers, film critic and columnist whose work can most frequently be found on South Africa’s biggest news site, News24, and across a wide variety of local and international publications, both Jewish and otherwise.
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Brooklyn Nets Select Israeli Basketball Players Ben Saraf, Danny Wolf in NBA Draft
The opening tip between the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards, at Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York, Dec. 13, 2020. Photo: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect
In a landmark night for Israeli basketball, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets, marking the first time two Israeli players have been drafted in the same year.
Saraf, a 19-year-old guard known for his explosive athleticism and creative playmaking, was taken with the 26th pick. A standout with Maccabi Rishon LeZion and a rising star on Israel’s youth national teams, Saraf gained international attention with his electrifying scoring and commanding court presence.
With the 27th pick, the Nets selected 7-foot center Danny Wolf out of the University of Michigan. Wolf, who holds dual US-Israeli citizenship and represented Israel at the U-20 level, brings a versatile skill set, including sharp passing, perimeter shooting, and a strong feel for the game. After his name was called, Wolf grew emotional in an on-air interview, crediting his family for helping him reach the moment.
“I have the two greatest brothers in the world; I have an unbelievable sister who I love,” Wolf said. “They all helped me get to where I am today, and they’re going to help me get to where I am going to go in this league.”
The historic double-pick adds to the growing wave of Israeli presence on the NBA stage, led by Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija, who just completed a breakout 2024–25 season. After being traded to Portland last summer, Avdija thrived as a starter, averaging 16.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists. In March alone, he posted 23.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game, including two triple-doubles.
“I don’t think I’ve played like this before … I knew I had it in me. But I’m not really thinking about it. I’m just playing. I’m just free,” Avdija told reporters in March
With Saraf and Wolf joining Avdija, Israel’s basketball pipeline has reached unprecedented visibility. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called the moment “a national celebration for sports and youth,” and Israeli sports commentators widely hailed the night as “historic.”
Both Saraf and Wolf are expected to suit up for the Nets’ Summer League team in July. As the two rookies begin their NBA journey, they join a growing generation of Israeli athletes proving that their game belongs on basketball’s biggest stage.
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Iran Denies Any Meeting With US Next Week, Foreign Minister Says
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi attends a press conference following a meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, April 18, 2025. Photo: Tatyana Makeyeva/Pool via REUTERS
Iran currently has no plan to meet with the United States, Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on Thursday in an interview on state TV, contradicting US President Donald Trump’s statement that Washington planned to have talks with Iran next week.
The Iranian foreign minister said Tehran was assessing whether talks with the US were in its interest, following five previous rounds of negotiations that were cut short by Israel and the US attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities.
The US and Israel said the strikes were meant to curb Iran’s ability to create nuclear weapons, while Iran says its nuclear program is solely geared toward civilian use.
Araqchi said the damages to nuclear sites “were not little” and that relevant authorities were figuring out the new realities of Iran’s nuclear program, which he said would inform Iran’s future diplomatic stance.
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Ireland Becomes First European Nation to Advance Ban on Trade With Israeli Settlements
A pro-Hamas demonstration in Ireland led by nationalist party Sinn Fein. Photo: Reuters/Clodagh Kilcoyne
Ireland has become the first European nation to push forward legislation banning trade with Israeli communities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem — an effort officials say is meant “to address the horrifying situation” in the Gaza Strip.
On Wednesday, Irish Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Simon Harris announced that the legislation has already been approved by the government and will now move to the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade for pre-legislative scrutiny.
“Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza,” Harris said during a press conference.
The Irish diplomat also told reporters he hopes the “real benefit” of the legislation will be to encourage other countries to follow suit, “because it is important that every country uses every lever at its disposal.”
Today Ireland becomes the first country in Europe to bring forward legislation to ban trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Ireland is speaking up and speaking out against the genocidal activity in Gaza.
Every country must pull every lever at its disposal. pic.twitter.com/Z4RTjqntEY— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) June 24, 2025
Joining a growing number of EU member states aiming to curb Israel’s defensive campaign against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas, Ireland’s decision comes after a 2024 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declared Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem illegal.
The ICJ ruled that third countries must avoid trade or investment that supports “the illegal situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Once implemented, the law will criminalize the importation of goods from Israeli settlements into Ireland, empowering customs officials to inspect, seize, and confiscate any such shipments.
“The situation in Palestine remains a matter of deep public concern,” Harris said. “I have made it consistently clear that this government will use all levers at its disposal to address the horrifying situation on the ground and to contribute to long-term efforts to achieve a sustainable peace on the basis of the two-state solution.”
“Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are illegal and threaten the viability of the two-state solution,” the Irish diplomat continued. “This is the longstanding position of the European Union and our international partners. Furthermore, this is the clear position under international law.”
Harris also urged the EU to comply with the ICJ’s ruling by taking a more decisive and “adequate response” regarding imports from Israeli settlements.
“This is an issue that I will continue to press at EU level, and I reiterated my call for concrete proposals from the European Commission at the Foreign Affairs Council this week,” he said.
Last week, Ireland and eight other EU member states — Finland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden — called on the European Commission to draft proposals for how EU countries can halt trade and imports with Israeli settlements, in line with obligations set out by the ICJ.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned the latest move by European countries, calling it “shameful” and a misguided attempt to undermine Israel while it faces “existential” threats from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas.
“It is regrettable that even when Israel is fighting an existential threat which is in Europe’s vital interest — there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession,” the top Israeli diplomat said in a post on X.
It is regrettable that even when Israel fighting an existential threat which is in Europe vital interest – there are those who can’t resist their anti-Israeli obsession.
Shameful! https://t.co/lxm9qm8sM1— Gideon Sa’ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) June 19, 2025
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