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ISRAEL’S INTEREST IN ESTABLISHING EMBASSY IN ESWATINI

23/06/2024 08:01:00 Mfanukhona Nkambule

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MBABANE – Israel has reportedly shown an interest in establishing a fully-fledged embassy in the Kingdom of Eswatini.

However, Israel’s interest in setting up the embassy in the country cannot, at this stage, be linked back to its damaged relations with South Africa. It has an embassy in Pretoria, which is also accredited to the Kingdom. Last week, South Africa worsened its relations with the Holy Land when it refused to sign a Ukraine Peace Communique because “Israel was present.” RSA’s National Security Advisor Sydney Mufamadi wrote in a statement that “it was surprising that at this conference, Israel is present and participating”. This happened five days after a United Nations-backed commission accused Israel of committing war crimes against Palestinians.

Mufamadi questioned the legitimacy of a communiqué, which its sponsors argued was driven by “respect for international law” when Israel has been accused by many UN officials of violating international law. South Africa has also accused Israel of genocide in Gaza in a case at the International Court of Justice. In November 2023, a majority of South African lawmakers voted in favor of a motion calling for the closure of the Israeli embassy and the cutting of diplomatic ties until Israel agreed to a cease-fire in Gaza. In the same month, Israel recalled for consultations its ambassador to South Africa following the "latest statements from South Africa.”

But, other nations in support of the Holy Land questioned South Africa’s integrity in the issue of Israel. This followed what Hamas, a Sunni Islamist-led militant group in Palestine, did to Israel on October 7, 2023. The Hamas launched an armed assault on Israel, killing more than 1 000 people. In retaliation, Israeli has so far killed more Palestinians in Gaza. Questions have been asked as to why South Africa did not criticize Hamas’s killings of the Israelis. In a new report though, Israel and Hamas have been accused of committing a litany of war crimes and human rights abuses since October 7, 2023. The report was compiled by UN Human Rights Council.

The damning accusations, compiled by investigators from the UN's Commission of Inquiry, accused both sides of war crimes for mounting attacks against civilian populations and "murder or wilful killings". The report, which covers the period up to the end of 2023, specifically accused Israel of crimes against humanity for torture, "extermination" and "gender persecution targeting Palestinian men and boys". Israel rejected the report's findings and accused the commission of pursuing "a narrow-led political agenda" against it. Hamas was also accused of a host of abuses during its October 7 attacks, which saw 1 200 people killed and 251 more kidnapped. The report said there was evidence of widespread sexual violence committed against Israeli women and a pattern of mass killings in public shelters.

“Many abductions were carried out with significant physical, mental and sexual violence and degrading and humiliating treatment, including in some cases parading the abductees,” the report said.The report further said: “Women and women’s bodies were used as victory trophies by male perpetrators.” That is what South Africa has not condemned, with some analysts saying the Christian community may have voted against the African National Congress (ANC) during the recent general elections, which saw the republic endorsing a government of national unity, the first since the ANC took over the government in 1994.

Despite the Republic’s consistence in attacking the Jewish nation, it must be said that the USA has stood in support of the country where the Lord Jesus was born. It is not only the US government which supports Jerusalem, but a recent poll survey by Courthouse News Service revealed that most Americans backed Israel, but sympathised with Palestinians. It is understood that Israel’s establishment of the embassy in the country may be a remarkable diplomatic and political convenience for the USA. The USA’s Embassy to Eswatini is one of the biggest missions in Africa.

USA’s Israel is close ally. The country also hosts the UK High Commission and Embassy of Taiwan. Eswatini also hosts the High Commission of India.India is close to South Africa as they are both members of BRICS. Meanwhile, it has been learnt that Israel has treated emaSwati exceptionally well when travelling to the Jewish nation. It has been convenient for them to travel to the Holy Land as Eswatini passport holders are visa exempted for up to 90 days provided the liSwati traveller has the following –

· Hold a valid passport with a validity of at least six months
Have sufficient funds for the trip.
Have proof of onward/return flights
Have all necessary documents for the purpose of entry

Newman Ntshangase, the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, was asked about whether Israel has shown some interest in setting up a fully-fledged embassy in Eswatini. In response, Ntshangase said the matter was still “at a high level and in its early and intentional stages.” He said it would be brought to the public domain when it has matured, having mutually concretised by both States.For now, he said the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria, South Africa, “is officially accredited to the Kingdom of Eswatini.”

Ntshangase added that, like all friendly States to Eswatini, the re-opening of a resident diplomatic mission by the State of Israel in Eswatini would be a positive outcome to the country’s strategic objective to have as many resident diplomatic missions as it could. Efforts to reach out to Israel in Pretoria were not successful by the time of going to press. Eswatini has a Jewish community whose leader was the late Geoff Ramokgadi. In its profile, the Jewish community in Eswatini said it had experienced very little antisemitism and “is active in the country’s business and legal communities.” The community singled out the former Chief Justice, Stanley Sapire, as one of the Jewish citizens.

It is said that many of the Jewish immigrants of the post-war era intermarried with the indigenous population.The Jewish presence in Eswatini dates back to the Second World War when Holocaust survivors who were turned away by South Africa came to settle in the country. Kalman Goldblatt, who arrived from Lithuania around this time, was heavily involved in the economic development of the country and even helped establish the first townships in the country.According to the African Jewish Congress, there were 50 Jews in Eswatini out of a total population of 1 343 098 – constituting 0.004 per cent of the population.

The Jewish population of Eswatini is almost entirely concentrated in Mbabane, the capital.The Eswatini Jewish community is affiliated with the African Jewish Congress, which is based in South Africa and advocates on behalf of the small and scattered communities of sub-Sahara Africa. It works to ensure that the Jewish community of the Kingdom has international representation, including within the WJC, despite the small size of its population. Due to the small size of the Eswatini Jewish community, there is no synagogue here. According to the community, Jewish religious life, like other endeavours, is left to the initiative of individual members of the community. However, the African Jewish Congress does provide some religious assistance but religious life in Eswatini is understandably not concentrated or centralised in any meaningful way.

Kosher Food

It is said that Kosher food in Eswatini is extremely scarce, and non-existent outside of Mbabane.

Relations with Israel

Israel and Eswatini maintain diplomatic ties, although the Holy Land does not have an embassy in Mbabane.

Instead, relations are handled through the Israeli embassy in South Africa.

WHAT SO GOOD ABOUT ISRAEL?

MBABANE - The biggest question has been why the USA is a close ally of Israel.

Both Democrats and Republicans are of the same idea that the Holy Land must be protected.

Michael Eisenstadt, the Director of the Washington Institute’s Military and Security Studies and David Pollock, a fellow in the same institution, concurred that President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney mentioned Israel some 30 times during the final presidential debate of the 2012 campaign season.Both candidates called the Jewish state "a true friend," pledging to stand with it through thick and thin. Michael and David say the USA-Israeli alliance now contributes more than ever to American security. This is due to the fact that bilateral cooperation to deal with both military and nonmilitary challenges has grown in recent years.

The two professionals say the relationship may not be symmetrical as the United States has provided Israel with indispensable diplomatic, economic, and military support totaling more than E2 trillion ($115 billion) since 1949. USA-Israeli security cooperation dates back to heights of the Cold War, when the Jewish state came to be seen in Washington as a bulwark against Soviet influence in the Middle East and a counter to Arab nationalism.Although the world has changed since then, the strategic logic for the USA-Israeli alliance has not.

The two experts say Israel remains a counterweight against radical forces in the Middle East, including political Islam and violent extremism. It has also prevented the further proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the region by thwarting Iraq and Syria's nuclear programmes. It is understood that Israel continues to help the United States deal with traditional security threats. The two countries share intelligence on terrorism, nuclear proliferation, and Middle Eastern politics.Israel's military experiences have shaped the United States' approach to counterterrorism and homeland security.

The two governments work together to develop sophisticated military technology, such as the David's Sling counter-rocket and Arrow missile defence systems, which may soon be ready for export to other USA allies. Israel has also emerged as an important niche defence supplier to the USA military. Israel's military research and development complex has pioneered many cutting-edge technologies that are transforming the face of modern war, including cyberweapons, unmanned vehicles (such as land robots and aerial drones), sensors and electronic warfare systems, and advanced defences for military vehicles.

Israeli civilian technological innovations are helping the United States maintain its economic competitiveness, promote sustainable development, and address a range of non-military security challenges.Dozens of leading USA companies have set up technology incubators in Israel to take advantage of the country's penchant for new ideas, which is why Bill Gates observed in 2006 that the "innovation going on in Israel is critical to the future of the technology business." Likewise, Israeli high-tech firms often turn to USA companies as partners for joint production and marketing opportunities in the United States and elsewhere, creating tens of thousands of American jobs.

REV ABSALOM EXPLAINS WHY ISRAEL CAN’T BE DEFEATED

MBABANE –In our January 2024 interview, theologian and pastor, Reverend Absalom Dlamini said the church would never stop praying for Israel.

The long-serving and senior pastor said the church was not only praying for Israel’s protection from its enemies but its salvation in Jesus Christ. He first clarified that all human beings belong to God, irrespective of religion, race or otherwise.He explained that God did not impose His laws on Adam and Eve when there were in the Garden of Eden. Instead, he said Almighty gave them a free will by creating the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden. He said that was to be a choice to obey Him or disobey Him.

The man of God said the repercussions of the choices which humankind made should be the worry, just as God had warned them in the garden: “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” Despite the fall of man, the pastor said God had a plan to redeem people because Eve was redeemable because God did not find evil in her. However, he said Almighty did not find evil in her because she was misguided. On the other hand, Reverend Dlamini explained that God did find evil in the devil, hence, he remains unredeemable.

Therefore, he said it was clear then that God is for all people. He said Jesus Christ did not address Christians during his ministry on earth, but was always preaching to Israel about the coming Kingdom. Before Jesus was born, the evangelist and teacher said God prepared the seed of woman through which Christ would come to redeem mankind.He said Jesus was the fulfilment of God’s covenant with Abraham. In fact, Jesus is Abraham’s promised seed. He said the covenant entailed that God would offer protection and land to Abraham and his descendants. Through Abraham, the reverend said the beginnings of the Jewish people could be traced.

God commanded Abram (later renamed Abraham) to leave his home country of Mesopotamia for the land that would eventually be called “Israel.”He said God brought Abraham to Israel to do some things, which included making a great people from him (Abraham).From Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob have come the Jewish people, the reverend said.He said the second promise was of the land itself while the other promise was that through Abraham and his descendants, all the nations of the world would be blessed. Dlamini pointed out that God chose Israel as a nation to represent Him in worship. However, he said Israelites turned against God and were captured by their enemies who scattered them all over the world.

He said God offered big land to Abraham which stretched from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, the Kenite and Kenizzite and the Kadmonite, Hittite, Perizzite, the Rephaim, the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Girgashite and the Jebusite. Despite possessing this vast land, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem. He said the Israelites were scattered all over the world because they rejected God’s covenant. Due to its disobedience, he said Israel had been under the rule of the Roman Empire and Greek. He said the remnants remained in Israel, resulting in some countries like Britain and France ruling the country at some point.

After the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution to partition Palestine on November 29, 1947, Britain announced the termination of its Mandate for Palestine, which became effective on May 15, 1948. At midnight on May 14 1948, the State of Israel declared its independence. Reverend Dlamini said the land of Israel never remained idle despite that its citizens had scattered throughout the earth. When Israelites returned home, he said it was a pity that other people who did not know history described them as occupiers. As a matter of fact, he said these people were returning home. He insisted that no war would ever change God’s plan for Israel and the fighting, no matter how tense it could be, would never finish them off.