Israeli Jewish Agency head cancels South Africa trip over potential arrest

The chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog cancelled a planned visit to South Africa amid concerns that authorities there could issue an arrest warrant against him, the organisation announced Sunday.

Almog, a retired Israeli general, had planned to meet with South Africa’s Jewish community. The trip was called off following what the agency described as “an up-to-date assessment of the situation.” The organisation said in a statement: “The planned trip of the chairman of the Jewish Agency, Doron Almog, to South Africa has been postponed.”

The Jewish Agency for Israel is a quasi-governmental organisation that serves as a central link between the State of Israel and Jewish communities around the world.

Officials explained that the decision was made out of caution, as anti-Israel activists in the country might seek his arrest. South Africa is spearheading a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, accusing Jerusalem of genocide in Gaza. The government in Pretoria has also positioned itself as one of Israel’s harshest critics since the outbreak of the war with Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Several of Almog’s relatives were murdered in the Hamas-led attack, while four others—his daughter-in-law, Chen Goldstein Almog, and her three children, Agam, Gal, and Tal—were abducted into Gaza and released weeks later in the first hostage deal.

The agency fears that South African authorities could pursue charges against Almog due to his past role as an army officer during his 34-year military career.

In 2005, pro-Palestinian activists in Britain succeeded in having an arrest warrant issued against him over alleged war crimes. Almog was forced to return to Israel without even stepping off the plane in London. Then-British Foreign Minister Jack Straw subsequently apologized for the incident, and the warrant was withdrawn.

In 2009, Spain’s National Court briefly investigated Almog and other Israeli officials over the 2002 killing of Hamas commander Salah Shehade, but the case was dropped after judges ruled the incident had already been examined by Israel.

Despite the setback, the Jewish Agency stressed that its global work continues undeterred. “The Jewish Agency works all over the world to strengthen the connection between Jewish communities and the State of Israel. Agency envoys operate routinely in 66 countries, and the heads of the organization meet from time to time with the heads of the communities,” it said, adding that its activities “continue and will continue to strengthen them and the State of Israel.”

South Africa petitioned the International Court of Justice in The Hague to order Israel to end its military operations against Hamas in 2023, accusing the Jewish state of committing genocide and war crimes. The case is ongoing.

Approximately 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 48 remaining hostages, around 20 are believed to be alive.