Sharon Bar-li 🎗

The South African government seems to believe that if it claims frequently enough that it runs a principled foreign policy, the world will simply accept it as true. It’s categorically untrue, however. Consider the whopper President Ramaphosa tells below amid his condemnations of the US and Israel over the Iran War: “We have taken a principled stance which is consistent with our independent foreign policy. We have continued to support those nations that are struggling for self-determination.” Let’s check SA’s consistency in supporting nations “struggling for self-determination.” It: --Abstained on every resolution condemning Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. --Refused to condemn Russia by name for its invasion of Georgia and abstained on UN resolutions that did so. --Hasn’t condemned, and implicitly supports, China’s assault on its neighbors in the South China Sea despite a 2016 international court ruling against China. So, SA won’t condemn its partner’s violation of others’ sovereignty in defiance of the international law it claims to so revere. --Won’t condemn Iran or Hezbollah for the latter’s occupation of parts of Lebanon. As I point out frequently, the only way to make sense of the SA government’s rhetoric about its principled foreign policy is that the principle in question is anti-Westernism. If a particular situation, such as the current Iran war, gives it an opportunity to attack the West or especially the US or Israel, it will do so. If the situation reflects badly on its fellow anti-Western ideologues, such as in the cases cited above, it will ignore or equivocate. SA’s foreign policy is purely political. The world needs to stop buying its propaganda about principled action.

@OrenNahari @gilicohen10 @kann @ronikuban אורן יקר - הרבה כוחות והערכה עצומה. כבר לא עושים אותם כמוך.

ביום שבת אתארח בתכנית פגישה עם רוני קובן. הילדות, הקריירה, מחשבות על עיתונות וכן, גם זה. @kann @ronikuban

Somaliland delegation of water professionals in Israel studying how we overcame water shortages through technology. A training program of @MASHAVisrael, Israel’s Agency for International Development Cooperation. 🇮🇱 Israel. Building bridges; uplifting lives. Open for business.

@DavidSaranga @CommonSense_ZA A An Ant Anti Antis Antise Antisem Antisemi Antisemit Antisemiti Antisemitis Antisemitism

EXCLUSIVE: A leaked audio recording reveals that members of the Roedean school community opposed competing against Jewish pupils in a tennis fixture. You can listen to the recording and read the full investigation in The Common Sense. From the @CommonSense_ZA - read more: thecommonsense.co.za/Politics/leake…

I believe there is a name for it

“From Turkey to South Africa: Humanitarian Aid as a Pillar of Israeli Foreign Policy.” 3 years ago today, after the devastating earthquake in Turkey, Israel sent humanitarian teams to save lives, despite political tensions. In my new article, I reflect on Israel’s humanitarian tradition: from Kefalonia (1953) to Turkey to ongoing work in South Africa. Helping others isn’t policy spin it’s in Israel’s DNA.

South Africa’s recent decision to expel Israel’s top diplomat is another example of its poor foreign policy choices. Expelling a diplomat for calling out the African National Congress party’s ties to Hamas and other antisemitic radicals prioritizes grievance politics over the good of South Africa and its citizens.

Exclusive | The document that reveals: How Hamas plans to control and run the Gaza Strip under the nose of the technocratic government* A confidential internal document sent by Hamas leadership to the organization’s civil administration officials in the Gaza Strip, ahead of the arrival of the technocratic government, reveals how Hamas plans to continue controlling the management of the Strip even after the new government takes office. The document, obtained by Kan News, includes detailed instructions for Hamas’s administrative officials regarding their day-to-day conduct vis-à-vis the technocratic government. According to the document, all officials are instructed to continue their regular work routine as if nothing has changed — thereby effectively preserving the existing mechanisms of control. The document further states that officials are strictly forbidden from attacking members of the technocratic government or its head on social media, in order to avoid overt friction or public confrontation. At the same time, officials are given a clear directive not to establish any personal contact with members of the government, nor to pass on any information or intelligence — except through the “relevant authority,” which in practice is Hamas itself. In this way, the document outlines an operational framework in which the technocratic government appears to function, while the actual management of systems, the flow of information, and control over the civil administration remain in Hamas’s hands.

The water shortage discussed here likely helps explain the South African government's recent expulsion of the Israeli chargé d'affaires. SA says that he invited another Israeli diplomat to SA without official permission. That diplomat toured parts of Eastern Cape (a different part of the country from Midrand) and promised to provide Israeli help on water problems. It would be terribly embarrassing to the SA government and ANC for a country they demonize to provide basic and critical goods to South Africans where the government has failed. The SA government's pretext of Israel violating diplomatic protocol is likely just that, a pretext, to avoid embarrassment. The South Africans who were finally going to get clean water thanks to the Israelis will just have to keep on waiting, apparently.

The decision by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to order Israel’s chargé d’affaires to leave the country within 72 hours is further proof of the ANC’s unilateral and detrimental conduct, which is not serving South Africa’s best interests. @MulderCorn @DIRCO_ZA vfplus.org.za/latest-news/di…

FF Plus Slams DIRCO’s Expulsion of Israeli Diplomat as “Unilateral” and Harmful to SA Interests The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) has slammed the Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s (DIRCO) decision to expel Israel’s chargé d’affaires, Ariel Seidman, warning that the move could harm South Africa’s diplomatic and economic interests. DIRCO declared Seidman persona non grata this morning, Friday, ordering him to leave the country within 72 hours. The department said the decision followed repeated violations of diplomatic norms, including alleged insulting remarks about President Cyril Ramaphosa on official Israeli social media platforms and a failure to properly notify South Africa of visits by senior Israeli officials. In a media statement, FF Plus leader Dr Corné Mulder described the decision as a “unilateral and ANC-driven” action taken without consultation with partners in the Government of National Unity (GNU). He cautioned that escalating tensions with Israel could further strain relations with the United States, Israel’s key ally, at a time when South Africa’s access to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) remains under review The FF Plus suggested the expulsion may be retaliatory following the earlier removal of South Africa’s ambassador to the US, Ebrahim Rasool, and rejected claims that Israeli officials failed to declare diplomatic visits, arguing these were private in nature. The party warned that the move risks jeopardising trade, investment and jobs, and called for urgent consultation and a more balanced, pragmatic foreign policy approach in the best interests of South Africa.

Glad to host Togolese FM @rdussey in Jerusalem. I thanked him for his friendship and Togo's support after Oct. 7th. We discussed the mutual threat of terror to West Africa and the Middle East and ways to combat it. I said that the world's most dangerous regime, Iran, must not obtain the world's most dangerous weapon - a nuclear bomb. We will further strengthen our bilateral ties with Togo! 🇮🇱🇹🇬

Yesterday at the United Nations 🇺🇳, we came together not just to remember history, but to honor humanity. With over 600 guests in attendance: diplomats, students, civil society, faith leaders, and friends of Israel, we marked Holocaust Remembrance Day in a space filled with reflection, learning, and collective responsibility. Participating at the event was the Ambassador of Israel 🇮🇱, the Ambassador of @germanyinkenya 🇩🇪 , the EU Ambassador 🇪🇺, the Chargé d’Affaires of Poland 🇵🇱, representative from Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs 🇰🇪, Archbishop of the Catholic Church⛪, the Head of the Jewish Congregation, and many friends who stood in solidarity with us. At the heart of the commemoration was Ms. Wanda Helena Albinski, a Holocaust survivor from Poland, whose testimony reminded us that history is not abstract, it is lived, felt, and carried by real people. Her courage in sharing her story was a powerful act of remembrance and an urgent call to educate future generations, so that such atrocities are never repeated. The message was clear: the rising tide of antisemitism around the world is not a distant concern. It is here, it is now, and it demands our attention. As emphasized by the Ambassador Gideon Behar, we are each called to challenge hate, to be courageous, and to educate ourselves and others about where hatred leads when left unchecked. We remember the past to protect the future. May we choose empathy over indifference, truth over denial, and humanity over hate, always. 🕯️ #HolocaustRemembranceDay #NeverAgain #RememberAndEducate #ChallengingHate #Anti-Semetism

Health experts from Israel will assist hospitals in the Eastern Cape 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇿🇦 Following King Dalindyebo’s visit to Israel and his meeting with the Director of Sheba Medical Center, I visited Mthatha General Hospital and Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital. We held in-depth discussions with their CEOs on cooperation with Sheba, Israel’s largest and most comprehensive hospital. Sheba Medical Center has been recognized by Newsweek as one of the World's Best Hospitals, ranking #8 among other leading hospitals from 30 countries.

Israel is bringing water to the Eastern Cape 🇮🇱🇿🇦 Following King Dalindyebo’s meeting in Jerusalem with Israel’s Foreign Minister visiting Ambassador @DavidSaranga together with @innoafrica are working to bring drinkable water to remote villages across the Eastern Cape. Read more 👇

Israel is bringing water to the Eastern Cape 🇮🇱🇿🇦 Following King Dalindyebo’s visit to Israel, Ambassador @DavidSaranga from the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs met in Mthatha with dozens of traditional leaders to promote access to clean drinking water in remote villages. Ambassador Saranga was accompanied by a representative of @InnovationAfric, a non-profit organization delivering solar-powered clean water to remote communities across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs family bows its head upon receiving the bitter news of the untimely passing of Ambassador Eitan Naeh. Eitan Naeh joined the Foreign Service in 1991 and served in a long series of distinguished positions. Among other roles, Eitan served as Israel’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan, as Israel’s Ambassador to Turkey, as the first Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Israel in Abu Dhabi after the signing of the Abraham Accords - where he played a significant role in establishing the embassy, and as Israel’s first Ambassador to Bahrain. Beyond his exceptional diplomatic skills and his ability to build bridges in every country in which he served, Eitan stood out for his deep dedication to the work of the Foreign Service. In every role he filled, Eitan’s big heart was fully present. He was there for everyone in the Ministry and to all who worked with him. Eitan will be deeply missed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the State of Israel. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs family embraces and extends its condolences to Sheryl and to his children, Maya and Itay.

משפחת משרד החוץ מרכינה את ראשה עם היוודע הידיעה המרה בדבר פטירתו בטרם עת של השגריר איתן נאה. איתן נאה הצטרף לשירות החוץ בשנת 1991 וכיהן בשורה ארוכה של תפקידים בולטים. בין היתר, איתן כיהן כשגריר ישראל באזרבייג׳אן; כשגריר ישראל בטורקיה לאחר השדרוג-מחדש של דרג היחסים בין המדינות בשנת 2016; שימש כממונה הראשון על שגרירות ישראל באבו דאבי אחרי חתימת הסכמי אברהם וסייע רבות להקמת השגרירות במדינה; וכיהן כשגרירה הראשון של ישראל בבחריין. מעבר לכישוריו הדיפלומטים יוצאי הדופן וליכולתו לבנות גשרים בכל מדינה בה שירת, איתן התבלט במסירותו הרבה לעבודת שירות החוץ. איתן היה ״שחקן נשמה״, ובכל תפקיד אותו מילא בלט ליבו הגדול אותו פתח לכל אדם במשרד ולכל מי שעבד עימו. איתן יחסר רבות לנו במשרד החוץ ולמדינת ישראל. משפחת משרד החוץ מחבקת ושולחת תנחומים לשריל ולילדיו מאיה ואיתי. (צילום: משרד החוץ)

Shavua Tov!

I ❤️ @TelAviv