Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture Peace Mabe’s calls to exclude Israel from the Olympics “starkly contradict the Olympic values of tolerance, diversity, and global unity”, says the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF).
The SAZF “calls upon the South African government to seriously reconsider its stance and uphold the true spirit of the Olympics − bringing nations together through sport, rather than driving them apart through divisive politics”.
As a “sovereign state”, it said, Israel “holds the right to participate in this international event, just like any other nation”.
The organisation said was “noteworthy” that the press statement condemning Israel’s involvement in the global sports event was issued by the Government Communication Information System on behalf of Mabe.
“The absence of the Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture’s Gayton McKenzie’s name is striking.”
The SAZF said it “supports Minister McKenzie’s statement on X (Twitter) that divisive politics should not cloud or interfere with the South African Olympic team, and looks forward to his response after the Olympics”.
“The Olympics aim to promote global unity and should not be misused as a tool for division.
“The anti-Israel ANC is once again exploiting governmental channels, and undermining the ‘unity’ of the ‘Government of National Unity’ to spread radical political messages that the majority of South Africans do not support. By singling out a nation for defending its people against terrorist threats from Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north, the ANC is misusing its platform—one that should promote sport as a national unifier.”
The SAZF added that South Africa’s “persistent targeting of Israel has notably strained its relations with the United States and risks economic harm”.
The organisation noted that Israel “is uniquely targeted for defending itself against ongoing threats to its population. Hamas started the war with Israel on October 7, and the conflict would end if the terror group surrenders and returns the hostages”.
The SAZF said: “Those calling for Israel’s exclusion from the Olympics should remember that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, respecting human rights, tolerance, and diversity—the very values the Olympics embody.
“Israel’s team exemplifies the country’s multicultural character, which is often overlooked. For example, Israeli swimmer Adam Maraana is an Arab-Israeli, with a Muslim Arab father and a Jewish mother.”
It was “distressing that innocent Israeli athletes now face death threats and require extensive security measures simply to participate in these games”.
The SAZF calls upon the South African government to seriously reconsider its stance and uphold the true spirit of the Olympics—bringing nations together through sport, rather than driving them apart through divisive politics.