Reset relations with Israel, urges leading South African think tank

As South Africa encounters a significant setback in its genocide case against Israel, the Brenthurst Foundation, a prominent South African think tank, has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government to reset its relations with Israel. The Israeli government has successfully secured a six-month postponement in proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), extending the timeline to 12 January 2026.

This extension follows Israeli objections that South Africa attempted to present evidence without granting Israel access to it. The case against Israel is viewed as a key factor in the Trump administration’s increasingly hostile actions towards South Africa, with lawmakers considering targeted sanctions against senior African National Congress (ANC) officials. Senior Washington advisers have suggested that dropping the ICJ case could be the first step towards normalising relations between Cyril Ramaphosa’s government and the Trump administration.

However, South Africa has indicated that, despite pressure from the Trump administration, it does not plan to back down.

The six-month postponement in the case presents an opportunity for South Africa, according to Ray Hartley from the Brenthurst Foundation, to reset its relations with Israel. In an interview with National Security News, Hartley urged South Africa to review its entire approach to countries involved in human rights abuses, advocating for a consistent policy.

Hartley also recommended that South Africa reopen its embassy in Tel Aviv and appoint an independent voice within the African National Congress to the position.

Regarding South Africa’s strained relationship with the Trump administration, Hartley supports the appointment of Mcebisi Jonas, a veteran politician and businessman, as a special envoy to the US, and the suggestion that Roelf Meyer, former chief negotiator for South Africa’s Constitution, could become South Africa’s ambassador in Washington. Meyer, he said, really has the ear of Ramaphosa and has credibility. “That would be an exceptionally smart move,” he said.

Key Quotes from the Interview:

A consistent foreign policy on human rights abuses:

“For instance, Sudan is currently experiencing a widely recognised genocide, with the Rapid Support Forces killing tens of thousands in the south. This situation warrants attention and should be addressed alongside other crises, such as those in Ukraine.”

“They could, for example, say that they’re going to review their entire approach to all countries that are involved in human rights and other abuses so that they have a consistent policy, and it will give them a way out—to put it back into the political domain for discussion.”

South Africa could send a signal to Israel and the United States:

“I think there are many other ways in which they could send a signal. They’ve got Mcebisi Jonas appointed as the special envoy, and I know there’s been a big kerfuffle about what he said about Trump in the past, and so on. But I don’t think that’s really going to be a major factor. I think he’s the kind of personality who could quite quickly convince them of his bona fides.”

“There are things that could be done—much more low-cost things—like reopening some kind of diplomatic relationship, reopening the embassy in Tel Aviv. There wouldn’t really be a political cost for that. Egypt has an embassy in Tel Aviv, Russia has an embassy in Tel Aviv, China has an embassy in Tel Aviv—we’re the only country that doesn’t.”

Ramaphosa’s persistent weakness:

“There was the intention to rename Sandton Drive ‘Laila Khalid Drive’, after the Palestinian hijacker… He should have picked up the phone and called the mayor and said, like, by this afternoon, I’d like you to announce that you’re not doing that.”

Mcebisi Jonas as Special Envoy to the United States:

“I think what’s more important is what he puts on the table. If he puts on the table stuff that’s consistent with that view, then it’s going to turn out badly.”

“But if he goes there with some kind of offering, with some kind of movement—maybe on some of these issues that I’ve been talking about—that will quickly erase that past statement, I think.”

Roelf Meyer as a potential ambassador to Washington:

“I think somebody like Roelf Meyer, who really does have the ear of Ramaphosa and can pick up the phone at midnight—because of the time zones—and talk to the President if he needs to, is quite a good idea. I think he has credibility.”