World
Top South African rabbi critical of govt's 'support' of Hamas, says US needs to stop 'bad actors' on continent
FIRST ON FOX – Iran, Russia and China are sweeping across Africa, with the U.S. facing a crisis of influence. In South Africa, the government has aligned itself with the “bad actors” Russia, China and Iran. These are the main takeaways from an exclusive interview with South Africa’s chief rabbi, Dr. Warren Goldstein.
Goldstein spoke with Fox News Digital in Johannesburg on Monday, on the eve of what promises to be a watershed presidential election in South Africa this week. Thirty years ago, the African National Congress (ANC) Party swept into power, carrying Nelson Mandela to become the country’s first democratic president. There have been remarkable achievements, but corruption, nepotism, failed government promises and catastrophic fraud-linked power blackouts have left democracy critically strained and many voters disillusioned. In Wednesday’s polls, for the first time, the ANC is likely to lose its majority.
Across Africa, as democracies become weaker, countries which are strange bedfellows step out of the murky shadows. “The bad actors in international politics, China, Russia and Iran, are making a grab for the African continent,” Goldstein told Fox News Digital.
Goldstein added “also realize that the African continent is suffering from a wave of jihadi terror in which Christians are being persecuted across the continent. In this context, South Africa in particular, and the African continent in general, is a beacon and can be a very important ally for the United States in promoting freedom and democracy.”
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South Africa’s chief rabbi, Dr. Warren Goldstein. (Office of the Chief Rabbi )
“American values are at stake on the African continent, and we need a much stronger American presence in the continent as a whole and in South Africa in particular”, he continued.
Responding to the growing worry of U.S. foes gaining ground in South Africa and the region, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital “we have a strong relationship with South Africa and that relationship is based on the priorities of the American people and the South African people, our shared values and our interests. We are committed to an affirmative agenda with South Africa, through which we work together to bring our nations’ respective priorities to the table.”
The spokesperson added “The United States believes all countries may choose the countries and groupings with which they associate. South Africa is a sovereign country that can make its own decisions about how to engage others. The relationship between the United States and South Africa is broad, deep, and multifaceted, grounded in values, interests, and people-to-people ties that include our common journeys to uphold human dignity. We’re focused on making our relationship even stronger, to the benefit of Americans and South Africans, and we aren’t distracted by what others are doing.”
Analysts have often accused the ANC of telling the South African government, in which, until Wednesday, its members have a majority, what to do and say. This, Goldstein told Fox News Digital, has led to the country turning away from the West. “A very important thing to understand is the distinction between the ANC government and the South African people. They are very divergent in their values,” said Goldstein.
President Biden, right, shakes hands with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office of the White House on Sept. 16, 2022 in Washington, D.C. The two leaders reaffirmed the importance of enduring partnership, and discussed their work together to address regional and global challenges. (Photo by Pete Marovich-Pool/Getty Images)
“The ANC government has aligned itself with Russia, China and Iran. The South African people do not share their values in this regard. And to note that this is going to be the first time in South African history the ANC is going to drop below 50% (in electoral votes).”
“It has lost the support of the majority of South Africans. And therefore, when America is considering the opportunities for alliances with South Africa, with the continent, it needs to look beyond the ANC government. That it is a waning force in South African politics, and it is eventually on its way out”
CHRISTIANS IN AFRICA FACE WORRYING RISE IN KILLINGS, PERSECUTION AND DISPLACEMENT
A woman holds up a poster of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi (not seen) as they welcome him upon arrival for a state visit at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare on July 13, 2023. (Jekesai Nijikizana/AFP via Getty Images)
The South African government responded to Goldstein’s criticism, noting, “Firstly, it’s wrong to label the South African government with a political party,” Clayson Monyela, head of public diplomacy at South Africa’s Department of International Relations, told Fox News Digital.
“Decisions of the state are taken by the state and not the ruling party,” Monyela added. “The values that this government espouses are shared by the people it represents. The constitution of the Republic is the guide.”
However, the official opposition, the Democratic Alliance (DA), believes the ANC pushes its cadres into influential government positions. On their own website, the ANC calls the positioning of their faithful ‘cadre deployment,” as if such a procedure was part of a military exercise.
Public hearings in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel begin at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, on Jan. 11, 2024. (Dursun Aydemir/Anadolu via Getty Images)
In a document accompanying a court action in February, the DA stated “The ANC controls both the demand-side and the supply-side of senior administrative roles, State-owned enterprises (SOEs), boards, entities, and independent state institutions.”
This past Friday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s top court, voted that Israel should “immediately halt its military offensive in Rafah.” South Africa had applied to the court to stop the attack in Gaza.
Rabbi Goldstein said, “The ICJ ruling is not only an attack on Israel’s right to self-defense, it is also a threat to the United States of America and all countries of the free world. – when you can have, for example, a judge from Lebanon presiding over this matter, and countries representing, if you think about the United Nations, the vast majority of the members of United Nations do not come from free democracies. You cannot have dictatorships and their representatives determining when free democracies can defend themselves against the forces of terrorism and violence in the world.”
ANGER RISES OVER SOUTH AFRICA MAKING MILLIONS IN US BENEFITS WHILE COZYING UP TO IRAN, RUSSIA AND HAMAS
President of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa speaks to supporters during the ANC Siyanqoba Rally held at FNB Stadium on May 25, 2024 in Johannesburg. South Africa’s national and provincial elections will be held on May 29, 2024 to elect a new National Assembly and provincial legislature in each of the nine provinces. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Monyela defended the country’s actions, saying “The SA government’s principled position on the Palestine/Israeli matter has been vindicated repeatedly by the rulings of the ICJ. We approached the ICJ to stop the current genocidal acts being perpetrated by Israel against the people of Palestine. This is what all peace-loving people of the world, who believe in human rights and international law, should do.”
South Africa kicked out Israel’s ambassador and closed the embassy, but Goldstein told Fox News Digital that there is little antisemitism among ordinary South Africans. “Antisemitism in South Africa today is a fascinating paradox, which is very revealing about what is actually happening in this country. On the one hand, you have the South African government that has been the most anti-Israel, pro-Hamas, pro-Iranian government in the world when considering free democracies, which is a betrayal of the South African constitution and the values of this country.”
US CONCERNED OVER SOUTH AFRICA’S GROWING TIES WITH RUSSIA, IRAN AND HAMAS: ‘FALLEN’ FOR PROPAGANDA
Members of the Active African Christians United Movement pose as one of them blows through a shofar as others gather in support of Israel outside the embassy of Israel in Pretoria on Nov. 17, 2023. (Photo by EMMANUEL CROSET/AFP via Getty Images)
Goldstein continued” On the other hand, the South African Jewish community has experienced amongst the lowest levels of antisemitism of any Jewish community in the world. And so you have this paradox, an assault, an ANC government that has been pro-Iran, and a South African people that is welcoming of its fellow citizens of the Jewish faith together with all of the citizens of this country, this tremendous spirit of togetherness of unity and diversity, which is the motto of the country, really drawing from the spirit of Nelson Mandela, which is still felt to this day, which is utterly at odds with the spirit and the values of the ANC government.”
Monyela hit back, adding, “The challenge with this comment is the deliberate blurring of the lines between the ANC and the state. The South African Government is not anti-Israel and most certainly not pro-Hamas.”
A man brandishes a replica toy gun during a pro-Palestinian demonstration organized by the South African opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters in front of the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria on Oct. 23, 2023. (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images)
“It is the most ridiculous and outrageous thing to suggest”, added Monyela. “These false and manufactured narratives, including the baseless antisemitism label, are a blunt object meant to silence us from speaking out against the genocidal acts of Israel against the Palestinian people.” He claimed that “The ICJ has repeatedly agreed with us. Look at the comments of the President of France on the latest attacks in Rafah that killed innocent civilians. Even the White House has criticized Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister himself has called for an investigation. South Africa is consistent in calling for the respect of human rights and international law. Our position on the two-state solution is on record.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the ANC for comment, but received no response.
Global energy markets remain in a state of high alert after several Gulf states suspended oil and gas production following escalating tensions in the region.
Since Saturday’s attacks by the United States and Israel, Tehran has targeted various sites in Israel and across several Gulf countries.
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Initially, these Iranian attacks focused primarily on US military assets, but Gulf states have reported that Iran has since broadened its scope to target civilian infrastructure, including hotels, airports and energy facilities. Iranian officials have publicly denied targeting Gulf energy facilities, however.
The Middle East remains the world’s dominant source of hydrocarbon reserves and a major driver of crude oil and natural gas output.
How much oil and gas does the Middle East have?
Nearly half of the world’s oil reserves and exports come from the Middle East, which contains five of the seven largest oil reserves in the world.
Once refined, crude oil is used to make various products, including petrol, diesel, jet fuel and a wide range of household items such as cleaning products, plastics and even lotions.
After Venezuela, which has 303 billion barrels, Saudi Arabia holds the world’s second-largest proven crude oil reserves, estimated at 267 billion barrels.
The Middle East’s largest oil reserves:
- Saudi Arabia: 267 billion barrels
- Iran: 209 billion barrels
- Iraq: 145 billion barrels
- UAE: 113 billion barrels
- Kuwait: 102 billion barrels
Saudi Arabia is also the world’s top oil exporter with an estimated $187bn of crude in 2024, according to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).
The Middle East’s top oil exporters:
- Saudi Arabia: $187bn
- UAE: $114bn
- Iraq: $98bn
- Iran: $47bn – largely sold at a discount due to US sanctions
- Kuwait: 29bn
Other Middle Eastern countries with sizeable oil exports include: Oman ($28.9bn), Kuwait ($28.8bn) and Qatar ($21bn).
In addition to crude oil, the Middle East is a global powerhouse for natural gas, accounting for nearly 18 percent of global production and approximately 40 percent of the world’s proven reserves.
Natural gas is primarily used for electricity generation, industrial heating, and in chemicals and fertilisers.
The heart of Middle Eastern gas is a single, massive underwater reservoir called the South Pars/North Dome field. It is the largest gasfield in the world, and it is shared directly between Qatar and Iran.
Gas is transported either through pipelines or by tankers. When using pipelines, the gas is pressurised and moved through steel networks. When pipelines are not feasible, such as across oceans, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is used.
To create LNG, the gas is cooled to approximately -162C (-260F), shrinking its volume and allowing it to be safely loaded onto specialised tanker ships for global transport.
To transport oil and gas, tankers from various Gulf states must navigate the narrow waterway known as the Strait of Hormuz. Approximately one-fifth of global oil and gas passes through this strait, primarily heading to major markets in Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea and India, as well as to Europe.
Which energy facilities have been attacked?
Here are the facilities which have recorded damage as of Wednesday:
Saudi Arabia – Ras Tanura oil refinery
On Monday, one of the world’s largest oil refining complexes, the Ras Tanura oil refinery owned by Saudi Aramco, was forced to halt operations after debris from intercepted Iranian drones caused a small fire.
Saudi Aramco is one of the world’s largest companies, with a market capitalisation exceeding $1.7 trillion and revenue of $480bn. Headquartered in Dhahran, in eastern Saudi Arabia, Aramco controls 12 percent of global oil production, with a capacity of more than 12 million barrels per day (bpd).
On Wednesday, Saudi defence officials reported a second drone attempt on the facility but this was successfully intercepted with no damage or disruption to operations reported.
Qatar – Ras Laffan Industrial City LNG facilities
On Monday, Qatar’s Ministry of Defence reported that Iranian drones had targeted an energy facility in Ras Laffan belonging to QatarEnergy, the world’s largest LNG producer.
While no casualties were reported, QatarEnergy suspended the production of LNG and other products at the impacted sites.
QatarEnergy’s 81 million metric tonnes of LNG exports are mostly bound for Asian markets, including China, Japan, India, South Korea, Pakistan and other countries in the region. The halt in production hiked global gas prices to a three-year high this week.
Qatar – Mesaieed Industrial City
Qatar’s Defence Ministry said the country was attacked by a second drone launched from Iran on Monday, targeting a water tank belonging to a power plant in Mesaieed, without reporting any casualties.
On Tuesday, QatarEnergy also stopped production of some downstream products like urea, polymers, methanol, aluminium and others.
UAE – Fujairah and Mussafah oil terminals
On Monday, a fire broke out at Mussafah Fuel Terminal in southwest Abu Dhabi after it was struck by a drone.
On Tuesday, falling debris from a drone interception caused a fire at the Fujairah Oil Terminal along the eastern coast of the United Arab Emirates. No injuries were reported.
Oman – ports of Duqm and Salalah
On Tuesday, multiple Iranian drones struck fuel tanks and a tanker at the port of Duqm, with at least one direct hit on a fuel storage tank, causing an explosion.
On the same day, a drone strike was recorded at the Port of Salalah, which handles fuel and industrial minerals.
Athe Nova – oil tanker
On Monday, the Athe Nova, a Honduran-flagged tanker positioned off the coast of Khor Fakkan, UAE, was struck by Iranian drones as it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, setting it ablaze. Despite the fire, the vessel managed to exit the chokepoint into the Gulf of Oman, and no casualties were reported.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed responsibility for the strike, identifying the Athe Nova as an “ally of the United States”.
On the same day as the attack, Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, warning that any ship attempting to pass would be “set ablaze”.
Since then, several other tankers have been hit.
Other regional energy disruptions
Although not directly targeted, the following energy sites suspended operations in response to Iranian retaliatory attacks:
Israeli offshore gasfields – Major gas production fields such as Leviathan and Tamar were shut down as a precaution following regional drone and missile launches linked to Iran.
Oil fields in semiautonomous Iraqi Kurdistan – Producers including DNO, Gulf Keystone and Dana Gas halted output as a safety measure amid the escalation.
Rumaila oilfield – Operations at Iraq’s largest oilfield – operated by BP – in southern Iraq were halted on Tuesday as a security precaution due to its proximity to the escalation zone.
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Senior Iranian clerics would have been left “exposed” after an Israeli airstrike hit a meeting place where they were supposed to be convening Tuesday — days after a strike leveled the Tehran compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a defense analyst has claimed.
The clerics, members of the Assembly of Experts, had reportedly planned to meet at the location in Qom to deliberate succession plans for Khamenei, who was killed in the strikes, according to The Times of Israel.
“This second strike would be another embarrassment to what has been left of the regime,” Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital.
“It indicates intelligence dominance and superiority because any movement is detected, meaning they would feel exposed,” Michael added.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in an Israeli airstrike Saturday. (Getty Images)
“As of now, the leadership would feel insecure and hunted, with all of their plans collapsing one after another.”
“They would feel totally isolated and understand that the biggest risk might come from home — from a potential uprising next,” he added.
Israel Defense Forces spokesman Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin confirmed that the Israeli Air Force struck the building where senior clerics had planned to assemble, The Times of Israel reported.
KHAMENEI’S DEATH OPENS UNCERTAIN CHAPTER FOR IRAN’S ENTRENCHED THEOCRACY
A general view of Tehran with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city, Monday, in Iran. (Contributor/Getty Images)
It remains unclear how many of the 88 members were present at the time of the strike, according to an Israeli defense source cited by the outlet. The second strike on Iran’s leadership comes amid a broader military campaign.
As previously reported by Fox News Digital, U.S. forces have struck more than 1,700 targets across Iran in the first 72 hours of Operation Epic Fury, according to a U.S. Central Command fact sheet.
The campaign is aimed at dismantling Iran’s security apparatus and neutralizing what officials describe as imminent threats.
According to U.S. Central Command, targets have included command-and-control centers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Joint Headquarters, the IRGC Aerospace Forces headquarters, integrated air defense systems and ballistic missile sites.
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The USS Thomas Hudner fires a Tomahawk land attack missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, Sunday, while at sea. (U.S. Navy/via Getty Images)
“We need strategic patience and determination, and in several weeks most of the job will be accomplished,” Michael added. “Even if the regime does not collapse, Iran will not be like we used to know.
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“I assume that the U.S. and Israel will establish a very robust monitoring mechanism that will enable them to react whenever the regime tries to reconstitute its military capacities again.”
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