Chief Rabbi of South Africa Warren Goldstein hailed US President Donald Trump’s actions against the country and said South Africans should welcome the Trump administration's interventions in South Africa’s affairs.
In an X post on Sunday, Goldstein revealed that he had just returned from Israel, where he met senior government officials. He stated that he presented a “strategic” outlining the case for the country to engage with South Africa, adding that the “balance of forces” was in Israel’s favour.
“The document I presented made several key points: that while Israel has won the military war in the Middle East, South Africa continues to prosecute the ideological war on the global stage and for this reason Israel needs to remain engaged with South Africa’s people; that the vast majority of South Africans are conservative Christians, who are not aligned with our government’s anti-Israel efforts and are, therefore, natural allies of Israel.
“That following the ANC’s dramatic loss of support in the 2024 elections followed by the Trump victory, the balance of forces has shifted in favour of Israel establishing a constructive relationship with South Africa.
Goldstein praised the Trump administration's executive order against South Africa, adding that it transformed global politics regarding South Africa.
“President Trump’s recent executive order has made three critical points…
“The first is that Trump has accused South Africa of, and I quote: “reinvigorating its relations with Iran to develop commercial, military, and nuclear arrangements… this poses national security threats to our Nation, our allies, our African partners, and our interests.” These actions of the South African government are even more serious than its actions on behalf of Iran to delegitimise Israel at the ICJ, which are also mentioned in the executive order.
“What is apparent is the extent to which President Ramaphosa’s government is acting against South Africa’s national interest - by supporting and allying itself with Iran, a violent dictatorship, the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, a regime that has common cause with the very Jihadi groups actively threatening South Africa’s security and that of the entire region.
“By contrast, Israel can and should be a key economic and security ally for South Africa, helping the entire Southern African region defeat the Jihadi forces which continue to maim, kill and terrorise people from Mozambique and across the continent. How can it be in South Africa’s national interests to ally with Iran whilst prosecuting Israel at the ICJ.”
Dear President Trump and Elon Musk
— Chief Rabbi Dr Warren Goldstein (@ChiefRabbiSA) February 16, 2025
Thank you for caring about South Africa.@POTUS @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/xHKhnJcaIa
He said the second point in Trump’s executive order further highlighted how President Ramaphosa is acting against his country’s national interests.
“It is the issue of the new expropriation act that allows for the seizure of any fixed or movable property without market-related compensation. This dilution of property rights will increase the suffering of millions of the poorest South Africans because there won't be investments without property rights. Without investment, there won’t be economic growth. Without growth, there won’t be jobs.”
He further argued that governments do not generate economic growth and said that what the Trump administration was pointing out is in South Africa’s national interest.
“Because without economic growth, millions of South Africans are condemned to a life of poverty and suffering. The political and business elite, including the President, the senior leadership of the ANC, and corporate leaders, will always be financially secure. But for ordinary South Africans, this failure to drive economic growth is devastating.
“The third point made by Mr Trump is that South Africa will not be a prosperous country if it discriminates against people based on their race. This does not mean there should not be empowerment policies that focus on the socio-economic status of people. However, by focusing on race, the SA government taxes investors capital on arrival and drives out many of the country’s most skilled people.
“The Trump administration’s interventions present a historic opportunity to create a better life for all South Africans,” said Goldstein.
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