South African Candidate Pledges to Relocate Embassy to Jerusalem

Rev. Kenneth Meshoe, a candidate in South Africa’s May 29 parliamentary elections, is making headlines with his unwavering support for Israel. In an exclusive interview with The Press Service of Israel, Meshoe boldly stated, “The first thing I will do, I will reopen the South African embassy in Israel, not in Tel Aviv as it used to be, but in Jerusalem.”

This declaration comes as Israeli and South African legal representatives clashed at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague over the situation in Rafah. South Africa has petitioned the ICJ to halt Israel’s military actions against Hamas and implement emergency measures to protect Rafah from alleged “genocide.” Israel's legal team countered, accusing South Africa of distorting international law to aid Hamas and highlighting the militant group’s tactic of embedding military sites within civilian areas.

In January, the ICJ issued a provisional ruling for Israel to “take all measures” to prevent “genocide,” but stopped short of mandating an immediate ceasefire as sought by South Africa. Legal experts suggest it may take years to reach a final decision on the genocide accusation. In the meantime, South Africa has suspended diplomatic relations with Israel, recalling its ambassador in November.

Meshoe criticized his government’s stance, questioning why neighboring countries to Israel aren’t taking similar legal actions. “Our leaders are not asking why the countries that reside near Israel are not taking Israel to the court. Because they know more than us, residing thousands of miles away,” he remarked. “We are working hard, campaigning, and praying that the ANC will be out of power, and after that, we’ll reverse the mess they have done.”

The conflict’s toll is severe, with over 1,200 fatalities and 252 individuals, including Israelis and foreigners, taken hostage during Hamas’s attacks on October 7. Among the 128 remaining hostages, about 40 are presumed dead.

Meshoe’s steadfast pro-Israel position, deeply rooted in his Christian faith, has drawn both support and controversy. Recently, his party, the African Christian Democratic Party, faced hostility from an anti-Israel crowd at a political debate, necessitating police protection for their exit. Despite these adversities, Meshoe remains resolute. “We are used to this. I told our members that there will be no form of intimidation to silence us,” he affirmed. “The majority of South Africans love Israel. Unfortunately, their voices are not as loud as those of Israel’s enemies.”

He further articulated his support, dispelling accusations against Israel as mere jealousy of its success. “Israel is the only one from Western countries that never colonized any other country. When people criticize Israel, I think for myself, read for myself, and try to see what Israel has done wrong. My answer is that it’s nothing but jealousy. Israel is more successful than they expected, and so they want to bring it down.”

Highlighting practical benefits, Meshoe emphasized the potential for Israeli technology to address South Africa’s pressing water issues. “We have people in South Africa in villages who are sharing water with animals. There are Jewish companies that offered to help South Africa with that a few years ago, and the ruling party, ANC, refused to accept the offer. We want to see South Africans benefit from Israeli tech achievements.”

Despite facing vitriol from anti-Israel factions, Meshoe remains undaunted. “If we win, and Bibi [Benjamin Netanyahu] is still the Prime Minister in Israel, before the end of the year, he will be invited to speak in our parliament,” he declared.

The African National Congress, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, is projected to lose its parliamentary majority, necessitating a coalition to govern. Meshoe remains committed to his principles, stating, “We are not going to be intimidated, we will not change our names, our position, we will stand for what we believe. We say to Israel, we are your friend, and this friendship will not be broken by any form of intimidation, whether by Hamas or anyone else. Nobody will silence us.”

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