SA multiparty group concludes fact-finding mission to Israel

A South African multiparty group has just completed a historic fact-finding mission to Israel —
the first visit by a group of South African members of Parliament since the October 7 massacre took
place in 2023.

The Hamas attacks marked a new chapter in the region’s turmoil with over 1 200 Israeli citizens murdered and 251 taken hostage, among them babies, women, children and elderly people. Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians brutally abused hostages as they were taken into captivity. It is believed that 75 of those kidnapped were killed on the day or in captivity. Fifty eight hostages are still being held in Gaza.

The SA fact-finding group included several Members of Parliament, some of whom attended the trip in their private capacity, said South African Friends of Israel director Daniel Jackobi in a press statement released today. The delegation included individuals from the Democratic Alliance (DA), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), and Patriotic Alliance (PA), as well as South African religious leaders from the Christian and Jewish faith.

The group of leaders undertook a week-long journey to witness firsthand the human impact of the conflict in Israel. It aimed to create an environment in which support for Israel could be understood and openly embraced, without promoting an anti-Palestinian stance, while opposing acts of terrorism in all their forms.

Delegates visited the devastated sites of Kibbutz Aza and the Nova Music Festival, where they heard
harrowing testimonies from survivors of the October 7 massacre [See video clip below]. They also engaged in high-level meetings with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, senior Foreign Ministry officials, and visited communities in Bethlehem, Judea, and Samaria.

All delegates observed that, and will confirm with SA media, that there was no evidence of apartheid and, to the contrary, they saw that Israel is a vibrant progressive multi-racial and multi-ethnic society, in which the rights of all citizens are protected and upheld by the rule of law, said Jackobi.

The SA visitors were exposed to multiple projects where Israeli technology has been utilised to improve
the quality of life of hundreds of thousands of people in Africa, and expressed frustration that SA’s foreign policy has been so hostile towards a country that has played a vital role in addressing the continent’s most critical social upliftment needs.

The delegation’s experience, left a lasting impression. Pastor Bert Pretorius, President of the South
African Community of Faith-Based Federations, said: “A friend loves at all times. And a brother is born in adversity. How good and how pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity. That is our heart, that’s our desire, that’s why we are here today.”

DA MP Bridget Masango shared that “This trip was aptly called the ‘fact-finding peace mission’ but nothing could have prepared me for what I have just witnessed.” Ashley Sauls, MP for the Patriotic Alliance, declared: “I am a friend of Israel, and I stand with Israel unapologetically. A nation is not only defined by what it does but also by what it tolerates — and no nation should be expected to tolerate terrorism”.

Commenting on the lack of support Israel has received in its efforts to protect its citizens, ACDP MP Steven Swart quoted German pastor and opponent of Nazism Dietrich Bonhoeffer who said: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.”

Pastor Bryan Coetzee, representing SA faith leaders and the Christian Revival Church, said: “Being able to be at the places ourselves, to witness what happened, was heart wrenching. We have done wrong. We have sinned. We have judged this historical nation of Israel and its people during one of the most vulnerable moments in their modern day history”.

Vivienne Myburgh, SA director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, said: “Israel is a nation of builders: resilient, determined, and under siege not only from every border but also from a relentless, hostile media. Yet in the face of constant threat, Israel stands as the frontline in the fight for humanity. They are the canary in the coal mine, warning the world of rising dangers. This trip enabled the vital transfer of truth, equipping each delegate to return home ready to defend Israel and speak out with clarity and conviction.”

Dr Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa, concluded remarked that all the delegates
exemplified courageous leadership: “It is wonderful to receive support from such a broad spectrum
of South Africans and Christian leaders. I want to pay tribute to the delegates for sending a clear
message out to partners all around the world that Christians stand with Israel”.

While the trip was rooted in a mission for truth and peace, its impact extended beyond diplomacy. For millions of South Africans — nearly 85% of whom identify as Christian — Israel holds deep spiritual significance. Israel is the land of our biblical shared history, but also a modern nation navigating a complex and dangerous geopolitical reality.

“This mission was about facts, not politics,” said Jackobi. “We heard from survivors. We saw the devastation. This is about standing up for truth, peace, and human dignity. The ANC-led government’s actions at the International Court of Justice simply do not reflect the truth of what took place here, or the position and beliefs of the majority of South Africans.”

The visit concluded on April 7 with the signing of the Biblical Affirmation of Unity at the Friends of
Zion Museum in Jerusalem — a symbolic gesture affirming the spiritual bonds between SA and Israel. However, the emphasis of the trip remained on the lived realities on the ground and the need for informed leadership in SA’s international relations.

Jackobi concluded: “The Government of National Unity in Parliament must not delay in reshaping South Africa’s foreign policy. Let it be guided by conscience, compassion, and a genuine desire for peace — not by wasteful expenditure on international court cases that have proven entirely unhelpful in aiding peace talks in the region. Faith-based diplomacy, through true witness accounts, will prove to be far more powerful to reconcile the pain and grief faced by the those whose only wish is to live in coexistence and peace.”

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