A first encounter at a Passover seder left this Capetonian enriched by the experience.
By Tim Flack
This year, I found myself at a Passover Seder table for the first time in my life. I hadn’t planned on it. A kind friend asked if I had ever been to one – not being Jewish – and when I said no, she quietly arranged for me to attend the annual Seder at the Gardens Shul.
I knew that the Gardens Shul – also known as the Great Synagogue – had been established in 1841, making it the oldest Jewish congregation in South Africa.
The Garden Shul in Cape Town, South Africa with Table Mountain to the right.
I went alone, and to be honest, I was nervous. I had never been to a synagogue before. I went through the necessary security checks and felt completely out of place. I’m a big guy in a white kippah sruga (knitted yarmulke/skullcap) and a star of David on it, (I picked this kippah because I’m an unashamed Zionist, but that’s another story) with a yellow ribbon pinned to my shirt and a full Japanese tattoo sleeve. I knew I stood out.
I made my way up the stairs to the Seder Hall and sat at the first table I saw with open seats. There were two couples sitting there, around my age, and they welcomed me warmly. Just as I sat down, my blood sugar dropped sharply. I’m diabetic, so I explained what was happening. Someone quickly handed me grape juice and some water, and I managed to stabilize. That small act of kindness set the tone for the entire evening.
The Seder was led by Rabbi Osher, and I listened and took part in a tradition that has been observed for more than 3,000 years. I was quietly taking it all in and trying my best to follow, we had gotten to the 4 sons, someone leaned over during the reading and said something that stopped me in my tracks. They said, “You’re the Fifth Son.” I didn’t know what that meant entirely, I do now.
Inside the Gardens Shul, Cape Town.
If you know the Passover Haggadah, you’ll know it speaks of four sons. The wise, the wicked, the simple, and the one who does not know how to ask. But there is also a powerful teaching from the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. He spoke of a Fifth Son, the one who is not at the table at all.
He may be disconnected, unaffiliated, uncertain if he belongs, or unaware there’s even a place for him. The Rebbe taught that it is not enough to engage with those already present. That there is a responsibility to reach out to those who are absent, to find the Fifth Son and bring him in, regardless of background or circumstance. It is an act of inclusion, of compassion, and of spiritual responsibility.
That night, I was that son. Not because I was missing, but because someone made sure I was invited. It truly was special.
Preparing the tables for a Passover seder at the Gardens Shul.
Rabbi Osher and his wife introduced themselves to me and were incredibly welcoming. So was everyone else I met. There was no suspicion. No hesitation. Just warmth and generosity. I came in quietly, and I left quietly, but I will never forget being welcomed into something so meaningful and sacred.
To the couples that allowed me to sit with them, thank you for making me feel like I belonged. To the Gardens Shul community, thank you for allowing me to be part of such an important tradition.
I may have slipped in and out of the room quietly. But I will always stand with the Jewish people. Your story, your values, and your courage have left a mark on me.
You have a friend in me. Always.
*Feature picture: The Garden Shul in Cape Town, South Africa with Table Mountain to the right.
About the writer:
Tim Flack is the CEO and Head of Comms and Public Relations and founder of Flack Partners PR, a boutique public relations firm in Cape Town, South Africa. Tim specialises in providing tailored communication strategies for businesses in the political, safety and security, and small business fields.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO)
The true crime would be the fragility of a democracy that fails to allow its people to make up their own mind.
By Kenneth Mokgatlhe wa Kgwadi
As a Black South African who has spent almost a year studying in Israel’s Ben Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), I can surely decide for myself what is true and what is not. I know when a lie is being perpetuated to fulfil a political goal, especially in my home country of South Africa. It is for this reason that I applaud everyone who visits Israel to see for themselves what is happening.
Seeing is Believing. Seeing for themselves life in a country currently involved in a defensive war, are South African parliamentary members, Ashley Sauls and Millicent Mathopa posing outside a building in Tel Aviv. They were part of a 9-member parliamentary fact-finding mission to Israel. (Photo: Facebook)
So why the big hullabaloo over a group of South African members of parliament that included members of the DA (Democratic Alliance) and the PA (Patriotic Alliance) both of whom are in the governing coalition with the ANC as well as the ACDP (African Christian Democratic Party), who visited Israel recently on a fact-finding mission? It is being portrayed in some quarters – notably the EFF(Economic Freedom Fighters) – as nothing less than:
“…a betrayal of South Africans and Palestinians.”
What nonsense.
The Israel-hate being fueled in South Africa is now so obsessive, with the EFF even demanding these well-meaning lawmakers, who can be accused of nothing more than having enquiring independent minds, to have “their diplomatic privileges suspended pending investigation.”
Seeing Red. The EFF, founded and presently led by Julius Melema (above) is not backing down on their calls for an investigation into the recent fact-finding mission by Members of Parliament from the DA, Patriotic Alliance (PA), and African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) to Israel, describing it as “disgraceful and treasonous”.
What is unfolding in South Africa vis-à-vis the manipulation of attitudes towards Israel reminds me of the disturbing line of Joseph Goebbels that “Propaganda works best when those who are being manipulated are confident that they are acting on their free will.” It does not augur well that there are people who demand that others should be barred from taking trips to Israel for either fact-finding missions, leisure or business. The hatred – and it is hatred – being orchestrated in South Africa against Israel or the Jewish people is undermining rational thought. Why vilify people who want to see with their own eyes the claims made against Israel by its enemies? Why should we expect people to believe stories they are told by those who have never been to the Middle East region and seen the situation for themselves?
In any conflict situation, where propaganda is used as a tool to shape public perception of a dispute, it becomes important for lawmakers, researchers, journalists, academics, and other opinion makers to embark on fact-finding missions in order to objectively formulate their own opinions. There was no wrongdoing on the part of South Africa’s MPs who decided to visit Israel/Palestine to see and hear for themselves; to expose themselves to the reality – facts on the ground. Not only should we not vilify but we should encourage many others to follow this path of personal visits – to see and ask all the questions they want. Let them see for themselves whether there are other perspectives that are maybe contrary to the anti-Israel narrative aggressively projected by the ruling ANC party.
Not all Hostile. In contrast to the antagonistic position that the SA government has taken against Israel since the October 7 war began, a DiploAct delegation from South Africa of Christian, traditional, and political leaders (seen here at Ben Gurion Airport) visited Israel in 2024. Said visiting radio personality Bafana Modise: “We are horrified by the events of October 7,” and expressed disappointment in his government that had approached other conflicts “with reconciliation, but on this issue, they acted hostile.”
It’s no secret that we are living in an age of mis-and disinformation peddled to advance political causes. One of the mass media methodologies, referred to as “framing”, exposes how the media can shape how audiences understand and interpret events. We see this explicitly in the Israel-Palestine conflict whereby the international media takes sides and then escalates tensions by identifying the “victim” while isolating the “bad guy”. Biased and imbalanced, the reportage and commentary, inflames and exacerbates tensions. This explains the hullabaloo created by Israel-bashers in South Africa over the recent visit to Israel of the South African MPs. These accusers are maliciously calling for the Honorable Members to be treated like criminals who they believe offended South Africa by visiting Israel. How is this even possible?
It is important to remember that in South Africa’s last national election in 2024, the ANC for the first time lost its majority and that the current government is made up of more than 10 political parties with different policies as well as varying perspectives when it comes to the Israel-Palestine impasse. Unlike the ANC, these parties are not fixated on a one-sided antagonistic hate towards Israel, and we should allow, enable and encourage a diversity of ideas to thrive in adherence to the principals of our democracy. The ANC cannot and does not have powers to tell other parties what political beliefs to uphold – they are independent parties.
“Political earthquake” – IRR polling shows DA above ANC for the first time
It is time for fellow South Africans to realise that the ANC’s hostility towards Israel does not represent the majority of our people’s views. It remains government policy for only so long as the ANC remains in power, and that may well change heading into the next election cycle as indicated by latest polling. The shameful reaction in some quarters to the MP fact-finding mission to Israel, is contrary to the principles of a mature and secure democracy. Do not treat the people like empty vessels to be told what to think and believe. We are quite capable to arrive at our own judgements and the fact-finding mission to Israel was no more and no less than representatives of our leadership to be exposed to the complex political landscape of the Israel Palestine conflict. Is South Africa’s democracy so fragile to understand this?
I hope not.
*Feature picture: Members of the multi-party South African delegation – including those sitting in the governing coalition – meet with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem while on a fact-finding mission to Israel. (Photo: South African Friends of Israel).
About the writer:
Kenneth Mokgatlhe wa Kgwadi is an independent writer, political analyst and researcher. He is doing his MA in African Studies at the Israeli-based Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
*Feature picture: Members of the multi-party South African delegation – including those sitting in the governing coalition – meet with Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in Jerusalem while on a fact-finding mission to Israel. (Photo: South African Friends of Israel)
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
Unveiling the contours and contrasts of an ever-changing Middle East landscape Reliable reportage and insightful commentary on the Middle East by seasoned journalists from the region and beyond.
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This Passover, no passing over the inescapable anguish of a people for the remaining hostages
If on Passover, Jews are expected to imagine the bitter, oppressive experience as slaves in Egypt, for the second consecutive year, we do not have to imagine as we experience again and wait for deliverance of our 59 remaining hostages in Gaza.
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MEDIA – A CASUALTY OF WAR
An interview with British military expert Maj (ret.) Andrew Fox on why Hamas casualty numbers don’t add up and why the media is so intent on parroting the Hamas narrative. ByRolene Marks
Go Figure! A meticulously researched and referenced report presents clear indications that Hamas is padding casualty numbers. Despite this, many in the media seem to repeat – without question – whatever Hamas say. WHY?
In the midst of a global surge of antisemitism, reflections on the 57th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., of the man’s legacy and his support for a secure Israel. ByJonathan Feldstein
King’s Counsel. While Dr. King is especially well known for his moral clarity regarding Civil Rights, less well known are his statements and moral clarity about Israel and the Jewish people. King is seen here with Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century in February 1968.
An obsession with undermining Israel is undermining the very wellbeing of South Africa’s people By Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe
At Loggerheads. An avoidable clash with the USA, the writer laments that it is not President Ramaphosa and his wealthy ANC cronies that suffer the economic and political consequences of South Africa’s faulty foreign policy decisions but its ever-increasing poor citizens.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
07 April 2025 – Israel marks 18 months since 7/10. The Israel Brief.
08 April 2025 – Meeting at the White House and other headlines on The Israel Brief.
09 April 2025 – High court rules on firing of Shin Bet chief and headlines on The Israel Brief.
10 April 2025 – Hamas files application in UK for removal from terror list and more on The Israel Brief.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
An obsession with undermining Israel is undermining the very wellbeing of South Africa’s people
By Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe
In a rapidly changing world, South Africa’s foreign policy has failed to prioritize its national interest. This is in contrast to most other countries, including such allies as China, Russia, and India, which use their foreign policies to serve their interests, not those of other countries.
The late US Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, who is reputed to have largely shaped his country’s foreign policy, once said:
“The test of policy is how it ends, not how it begins. Foreign policy is the art of establishing priorities. Demonisation is not a policy; it is an alibi for the absence of one. The test is not absolute satisfaction but balanced dissatisfaction.”
Kissinger further argued that “a country that demands moral perfection in its foreign policy will achieve neither perfection nor security.”
It seems that it has not yet dawned on South Africa’s foreign affairs minister, Ronald Lamola, that the US has taken a hard stance against South Africa for its position on the Israel-Palestine question. It was a given that there would be – with the new US administration – political, economic, and social implications for South Africa’s decision to launch a lawfare campaign against the State of Israel. It is, however, myopic on the ANC’s part to have expected to have it both ways, that is, to maintain their relationships with the East and the West while aggressively harassing Israel, which aligns with the latter.
Aiming to Displease. President Ramaphosa’s policies against Israel (seen here with the iconic Palestinian keffiyeh) has according to the writer, mostly harmed South Africa. The latest Trump tariffs are the latest example.
There is no doubt that the South African government fails to see its poor people – those who are without water, housing, roads, food, and other vital facilities – when they decide on the direction of the country’s foreign policy. It is not Lamola, Cyril Ramaphosa, or other rich politicians from the ANC who are going to suffer the economic and political consequences of South Africa’s actions against the national interest of the US. Rather, it is South Africa’s poor who are already paying the price. For example, the withdrawal of various US funding programmes to South Africa has already started to impede HIV/TB research projects, which is expected to undo all the gains that have been made over the years.
At Loggerheads. Trump has also threatened to cut aid to South Africa in response to the country’s land expropriation policies, which Trump claims involve land confiscation.
In its bid to advance its foreign policy, the SA government failed to conduct a risk analysis of the implications its actions might have on NGOs that rely heavily on US funding. The withdrawal of this funding could ultimately lead to NGOs shutting down or downscaling, which in turn means putting more strain on the public sector as the many beneficiaries of these organisations could be left without essential services. It would also see an increase in unemployment rates.
“Charity begins at home” should be a stance which guides our foreign policy. It is incomprehensible that South Africa would want to assume the position of being hailed as a saviour and hero within the international community while its people are at risk of dying of poverty, hunger and a lack of sufficient medications for those suffering from chronic conditions.
Akin to the sentiments that Kissinger would later articulate, US president John F. Kennedy said, “Domestic policy can only defeat us; foreign policy can kill us”. What South Africa is currently doing – meddling – in the Middle East region can only worsen the state of the declining economy because of poor decision making. That powerful Arab countries in the Middle East and Africa have been careful about what they say and what they do should have signaled to South Africa not to have dragged Israel into the International Court of Justice (ICJ). So, while Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan endeavor to play an active role alongside the US to find a long-lasting solution to the decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine, South Africa saw fit to play the spoiler.
Clearly, South Africa like Iran, is not interested in finding a solution to the Israel-Palestine impasse. Its ill-considered direction was so evident when it decided to terminate all diplomatic and political channels with Israel. South Africa now has access only to Hamas and Iran, which shows how they are not committed to bringing an end to this conflict.
Trump’s Tariffs. A truck loaded with a container at a depo, in Johannesburg, South Africa may well be on the decrease as the new 30% tariffs set to be imposed on South Africa by the Trump administration will threaten 35,000 jobs in the country’s citrus-growing sector and the economies of entire towns, said a farmers group earlier in the week. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
The ANC’s leadership has a lot to learn from Qatar, a small country in the Middle East region, on how they have come to be respected as peacemakers and good negotiators in the international arena. In 2020, Qatar was able to convince the US to withdraw from Afghanistan with the extremist Taliban group. Qatar negotiated the release of the Americans held in Iran, Afghanistan, and Venezuela. They also helped to bring Ukrainian children to their parents after they were taken to Russia.
Through agreement with the US, Qatar allowed Hamas to have offices in Doha, and they maintain a relationship and communication channels with the Israeli government that helps to bring these two warring parties to the table whenever there is a need. Alongside other players, Qatar helped broker a ceasefire and hostage deal in 2023 between Israel and Hamas. There was another ceasefire and hostage deal in 2025 in which Qatar was centrally involved. Qatar plays this essential role by not siding with anyone but rather striving towards peace and stability in the Middle East; the returns beneficial to all in the region.
Trump Punishes South Africa With 31% Tariff Placing R250 Billion Worth Of Exports In Jeopardy.
It doesn’t end there. Qatar facilitated the brokering of peace between Sudan and Chad and Eritrea and Djibouti and helped to reach a peace deal in Darfur in 2011. At present, it is mediating peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
If South Africa wants to gain an international reputation as peacemakers and negotiators, there are, therefore, valuable lessons to be learnt from Qatar.
The ICJ court case will not improve the lives of ordinary South Africans, whose plight has been so neglected over the 30-year rule of the ANC. It is not only a waste of time but also money, and is aimed at appeasing Iran, who is behind the ICJ case and is implacable enemy of Israel. As China, Russia and India are doing, the SA government needs to take an inward approach, where we focus on improving the lives of our people and building our economy from what it is to what it should be.
About the writer:
Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe is a political writer and researcher based at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
In the midst of a global surge of antisemitism, reflections on the 57th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., of the man’s legacy and his support for a secure Israel.
By Jonathan Feldstein
This week, we commemorate the anniversary of the 1968 assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most iconic figures in American history, known for his tireless fight against injustice and his leadership in the Civil Rights movement. Dr. King’s life and work was rooted in the understanding that all people deserve equal rights, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or background. In the decades since his assassination, while there are many challenges to the full realization of his vision as so well articulated in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, it is commonly accepted that all people deserve equal rights.
King in Conversation. On the evening of March 25, 1968, ten days before he was assassinated, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. appeared at the sixty-eighth annual convention of the Rabbinical Assembly held at the Concord Hotel in Kiamesha Lake in the Sullivan County Catskills. (Read the transcript of a powerful and inspiring conversation here.)
While Dr. King is especially well known for his moral clarity regarding Civil Rights, for which he was also honored with a Nobel Peace Prize, less well known are his statements and moral clarity about Israel and the Jewish people. Unfortunately, in the same period that acceptance of universal Civil Rights has become commonplace, there has also been a marked increase in promulgation of denying Israel’s right to exist, and acceptance of an unprecedented rise in antisemitism.
This reality would have deeply disturbed Dr. King today, as noted by his niece Dr. Alveda King on the “Inspiration from Zion” podcast. Alveda King remembers her uncle as a staunch advocate for Israel’s legitimacy, its safety and security, noting his reference to Israel as one of the greatest outposts of democracy in the world, and on behalf of persecuted Jews in the Soviet Union.
Speaking to me on the podcast, Alveda said:
“He also was a strong advocate for Israel. He wrote and spoke about supporting Israel, praying for the peace of Jerusalem. In his own words he says, ‘A no brainer, we have to support Israel.’ He was very clear on his stand.”
As the Civil Rights movement gained momentum, Dr. King found tremendous support and strong allies among American Jews, many of whom joined marches and protests against Jim Crow segregationist laws, and became active in black voter registration and other related causes across the American south. Throughout this time, Dr. King remained committed to his message of love and unity, universal human rights, and nonviolent resistance, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, which became the cornerstone of his activism, guiding peaceful protests against racial discrimination.
Dr. King’s connection to Israel began early and was rooted in his Christian faith. In 1959, King and his wife, Coretta Scott King, traveled to the Middle East, including a visit to the Holy Land. At the time, Israel was a young nation, having gained independence in 1948. Jerusalem was divided with the Jewish and Chrisitan holy sites under Jordanian control. King’s trip came during a period of global interest in Israel’s story of survival and resilience, especially after the Holocaust. For King, a deeply religious man, visiting the Holy Land – where Jesus lived – was a spiritual pilgrimage.
MLK’s Jewish Connection – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s legacy of change through nonviolence and civil disobedience is well known. You might be surprised to know that he was deeply connected to the Jewish community. There were Jewish leaders like Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel and Rabbi Joachim Prinz who stood by MLK’s side in his fight for civil rights. How are these relationships still relevant today?
So moved by this trip, King was inspired to follow up by leading a mission of as many as 5000 black Americans to Israel. It’s also believed that in his famous and what would be his final, “Mountaintop speech” the night before he was assassinated, he was referencing Israel and being in Jerusalem.
Dr. King saw parallels between on the one hand the Jewish people’s inspirational struggle for a homeland and the young Jewish state reaching out to newly independent African countries, and on the other hand, black Americans – today African American – in their fight for equality. These parallels of the struggles for freedom, resonated from readings from the Bible’s Book of Exodus relating to the redemption of the Jewish people from slavery in Egypt.
Both Jews and blacks he believed, were battling for dignity and equality in the face of persecution. In a 1968 speech at the Rabbinical Assembly, ten days before his murder, King was unequivocal in his support for Israel. “Peace for Israel means security, and we must stand with all our might to protect its right to exist, its territorial integrity.” He understood Israel’s need for safety in a hostile region and supported its right to exist as a Jewish state. At the same time, he called for peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors, consistent with his belief in resolving conflicts nonviolently.
Exemplifying the unity between black and Jewish Americans in the Civil Rights movement, many Jewish leaders and activists marched alongside King in places like Selma, Alabama, and worked together on a grassroots level. Dr. King spoke out against antisemitism, recognizing it as a form of hatred that needed to be eradicated. His trip to Israel and his statements reinforced this alliance, showing that his vision for justice extended beyond America’s borders.
Dr. King’s experiences in and support of Israel highlight the global scope of his mission. He saw the struggles of different peoples as interconnected, whether it was black Americans facing Jim Crow laws, or Jews seeking a safe homeland or their freedom from persecution in the USSR.
On December 11, 1966, Dr. King addressed an estimated 50,000 people by phone across the US, lending his moral clarity in support of Soviet Jews. Referring to the three million Jews in the Soviet Union, King said:
“No person of goodwill can stand by as an onlooker while there is a possibility of the complete spiritual and cultural destruction of a once flourishing Jewish community. A denial of human rights anywhere is a threat to the affirmation of human rights everywhere.
“While Jews in Russia may not be physically murdered as they were in Nazi Germany, they are facing every day a kind of spiritual and cultural genocide. Individual Jews may in the main be physically and economically secure in Russia, but the absence of opportunity to associate as Jews in the enjoyment of Jewish culture and religious experience becomes a severe limitation upon an individual.
“These deprivations are a part of a person’s emotional and intellectual life. They determine whether he is fulfilled as a human being. Negroes can well understand and sympathize with this problem. When you are written out of history as a people…you are denied an aspect of your own identity.”
King concluded that “We cannot sit complacently by while our Jewish brothers in the Soviet Union face the possible extinction of their physical and spiritual life.”
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was more than a civil rights leader; he was a unique global thinker who sought universal justice and whose inimitable voice – and message – is sorely missed.
While one can only speculate today as we mark another anniversary of his assassination, what greater impact he might have had had he lived longer, what we do know is that Dr. King’s vision of a secure Israel and a peaceful Middle East is as relevant today as it was in the 1960s.
Feature picture: ‘The King and I’. Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King who joined the iconic civil rights leader at numerous protests is seen here with King at Arlington National Cemetery, February 6, 1968 (Photo by John C. Goodwin)
About the writer:
Jonathan Feldstein - President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
An interview with British military expert Maj (ret.) Andrew Fox on why Hamas casualty numbers don’t add up and why the media is so intent on parroting the Hamas narrative.
By Rolene Marks
Since the atrocities of 7 October, the information battlefield has been one of the most insidious in recent history. In the wake of 7 October, instead of the empathy that should have been afforded victims of terror, Israel and Jewish communities around the world have been faced with news networks, university campuses and the streets of major cities propagating the Hamas propaganda party line.
Maj (ret.) Andrew Fox, a military expert specializing in defense, the Middle East, and disinformation as well as a frequent commentator on major news networks, was recently in Israel and shared with the writer his perspective on Hamas casualty figures and the narrative war.
As a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society – a think tank that “works across borders and party lines to combat extremism, advance democracy and real human rights” – Fox, in December 2024, released his report, “Questionable Counting: Analyzing the Death Toll from the Hamas-Run Ministry of Health in Gaza”. In his accompanying forward, he reveals astonishingly that:
“ – The reporting of these figures has been analyzed by a group of international scholars, who meticulously analyzed reports of Gaza war fatalities from February 2024 through May 2024. – They examined 1,378 articles from major English-language newspapers and media outlets, specifically The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, CNN, the BBC, Reuters, The Associated Press and the Australian ABC. Over that four-month period, 84% of those publications failed to make the critical distinction in total numbers between combatant deaths and civilian deaths.
Faulty Figures. Designed to confuse a global readership, combatant casualties are almost never included in the total reported fatalities in Gaza.
– Only 5% of the surveyed media organizations cited numbers released by the Israeli authorities, while 98% cited fatality figures provided by the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health.
– In 19% of media reports examined, numbers provided by Hamas-run institutions were used without citing any source, thereby suggesting those figures were undisputed.
– fewer than one in every 50 articles mentioned that the figures provided by the MoH were unverifiable or controversial. (Strikingly, the Israeli statistics had their credibility questioned in half of the few articles that incorporated them.)
-This report raises serious concerns that the Gaza MoH figures have been overstated. The data behind their figures contains natural deaths, deaths from before this conflict began and deaths of those killed by Hamas itself; it contains no mention of Hamas combatant fatalities; and it overstates the number of women and children killed.”
Selective Sources. One-sided reporting as Israel is almost never cited as a source of information on fatalities among combatants.
Meticulously researched and referenced, the report, presents clear indications that Hamas are padding casualty numbers. Despite this, many in the media seem to repeat, without question, whatever Hamas say. WHY?
The first reason he explains, “is human desire not to admit when they are wrong and we do not understand how powerful this is because it means that they have to admit that they have been wrong for the last 18 months. If your new agency’s credibility is reliant on inputs of cash, to admit you are wrong – it’s not going to happen. It is not financially feasible. The second reason is the power of the narrative and the power of a story to be engaging and get people’s buy-in. Once you have achieved the dominance of your narrative, it’s very difficult to present another narrative, and the third reason is antisemitism. While everything is not antisemitism, certainly there are biases.” While in Israel, Fox participated as a panelist at the Conference against Antisemitism, hosted by the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs.
Fox’s report is not the only published study backed by empirical evidence to be largely ignored. He refers to the All-Party Parliamentary Commission (APPC) report by respected historian, Lord Roberts – “who is not Israeli” and that Israel “is not his area of focus” – into the atrocities of 7 October that lays bare the depravity of the attacks in excruciating detail with maps and references. Released earlier this month, “…it was utterly dismissed out of hand,” and suspects “there will be a very strong counter campaign with Qatari money thrown at it. I had the same thing with my report… the Palestinians campaign has ten times the supporters that Israel does. Ultimately – it’s a numbers game.”
Antisemitism in the form of anti-Zionism or what some may even call “Israelophobia”, seems to be institutionalized in a lot of the legacy media – traditional media that dominated prior to the internet. An obvious example is the BBC, which has had to apologise several times for erroneous reports. “It is institutional with the BBC,” says Fox. “Twice this year they have had to put out major apologies breaching their own impartiality guidelines when they platform Hamas royalty in a documentary about kids in Gaza using kids whose family members are Hamas, or when they email the Israeli embassy asking for a speaker that is specifically anti-Netanyahu. There are three parts to an apology, I am sorry, it’s my fault and I will do better – they haven’t really done that third part at all. It is endemic and institutionalized.”
The IDF has faced a lot of criticism from many journalists complaining about not being freely allowed to enter into Gaza. Some argue this strategy has impaired Israel’s ability to present the facts on the ground but Fox responds that the reasoning of the IDF is sound. “Journalists in war don’t just run around doing what they want… If you give journalists a free reign in Gaza, they will either do what Hamas tells them to do or they will be killed – and that will be blamed on the IDF anyway. From a military perspective, you don’t want anyone filming an airstrike because they don’t have all the supporting data to report fairly without knowing what went into the targeting process.” Continuing, Fox relates of when he flew to Israel with John McColl, a retired 4 star general and Deputy Former Supreme Allied Commander of Europe, “who was very anti-IDF. All week he was pushing the IDF like a hawk – and then came home and wrote an op-ed saying he was happy and convinced Israel is doing everything to protect civilians and that’s what the IDF should be showing journalists. You can’t send journalists in with fighting troops, that is too dangerous. You can’t embed a journalist; it is too dangerous, fighting in Gaza is a 360-degree war – you have high rise buildings, ground level, underground. As a soldier, I would probably refuse to take a journalist into that battle.”
Fighting for Facts. Maj (ret.) Andrew Fox, whose service in the British army included three tours in Afghanistan, notably one with the US Army Special Forces is seen here on a research trip in the Gaza Strip, summer 2024. (courtesy)
Fox also expresses concern that we are in a very dangerous information environment when people are turning to social media for information because of the 24-hour news cycle and very often what is posted is not factual and has not been verified. In the rush to make the news cycle, journalists are also not fact checking properly.
More than just a military expert, Fox also addressed the issue of antisemitism, having just attended the Conference on Antisemitism in Jerusalem. Says Fox: “The fight against antisemitism is THE most important thing to me. The stories I hear from my friends are just shocking.”
When asked what communities around the world could be doing better, he replies, “We are not going to stop 2000 years of antisemitism; it is not something we can defeat. I have noticed that the tone and flavor of antisemitism differs from one country to the next. From a British perspective, most people don’t care one way or the other, this is just another Middle Eastern war but there is a small but very loud group with loud volume that draws attention. It is not easy but I would work to bring the silent majority onto your side. Maybe move out of circling the wagons as which I can totally understand because if you are being constantly abused – the natural instinct is to do that.”
Figuring out the Figures. Andrew Fox’s report notes that figures widely cited by global media, are marred by significant inaccuracies, including the inclusion of natural deaths, pre-war deaths, and unverified data.
Coming from a British perspective, Fox suggests “to make it about a community that is part of the country. The marches for Palestine are horrendous and very un-British. What I would suggest is wave also the flags of the country where you live, in this case, British. It shows the Jewish community is proudly part of the country. Say more about Jewish contributions to the world, the amazing and fun things about Israel and its people, its great food and beautiful scenery. “ So important stresses Fox, “Is how you frame it!”
Feature picture: Andrew Fox, addressing conference in Jerusalem flanked by Israeli journalist Danny Zaken (left) and Maj (ret.) John W. Spencer. (Photo: Ministry of Diaspora Affairs).
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
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This Passover will be the 2nd for the HOSTAGES held in captivity in Gaza
The cover of ‘The Haggadah of Freedom’ produced by the Hostages Forum for Passover 2025 with texts by hostage family members. Jews for the second year will be asking a lot more than 4 questions and will be praying for answers. The message will resonate globally to the blare of the shofar:
“LET MY PEOPLE GO.”
In this Haggadah, you will find: The story of the “Seder” that Liri Albag and Agam Berger held while in captivity. The letter Hadar Goldin wrote to his fiancée on the eve of Passover, before his abduction. The music that saved Sagui Dekel Chen. Moses’ profound realization and its relevance today, as reflected by Ruby Chen, father of Itay and many more…
(Courtesy Hostages Forum)
Articles
Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.
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HEARTWARMING INSIGHTS INTO JEWISH PHILANTHROPY
A review of Solly Kaplinski’s evocative “Journeys into the Gentle Heart’ revealing the WHY of the WHO. by David E. Kaplan
Helping Hand. Covering the period before and after October 7, 2023 – the most traumatic encounter to the Jewish people since the Shoah – author, poet, educator and the son of parents who both survived the Holocaust as members of the Bielski partisans in the forests of Poland, Solly Kaplinski explores the nature, scope and transition of philanthropy while asking, “What has changed?”
Why terrorism is not only an Israeli problem ByNeville Berman
Resilience and Remembrance. “The next generation of Israeli leaders,” believes the writer, “will come from the heroes that defended the country in the war that started on October 7.Those that were killed or injured will never be forgotten.” What has happened will inspire future generations of Jews.
Who Cares About the Anti-Hamas Protests in Gaza? By Jonathan Feldstein
Stick with the Story. Gazans are bravely defying Hamas and dying for it! Why are pro-Palestinian protestors in the West and the international media mostly ignoring it?
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
31 March 2025 – Yarden Bibas and other hostages interviewed on 60 Minutes and more on The Israel Brief.
01 April 2025 – Roro gets on her soapbox about a pile on and your news on The Israel Brief.
02 April 2025 – Israel expands military operations in Gaza and headlines on The Israel Brief.
03 April 2025 – Who is this week’s mensch and moron and your headlines on The Israel Brief.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
In 1929, Hassan al Banna, founded the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. He stated the following:
“Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader, the Quran is our law. Jihad is our way.”
He also stated:
“The nature of Islam is to dominate, and not to be dominated, to impose its laws on all nations and to extend its power to the entire planet.”
Menacing Message. Muslim Brotherhood founder, Hassan al-Banna, could not be clearer: “God has also commanded us to spread Islam by reason and persuasion, but if we are opposed, then by the sword and the spear.
The aims expressed above encompass exactly what Iran, Hamas, and every other Islamic terrorist group are aiming for. The millions of human rights activists in the West, should study the above quotations. It just might shock them out of their thoughts of appeasing the Islamists in order to achieve a utopian la- la- land that they think is just around the corner. The Islamic concept of Jihad is not just against Jews, it is against anyone who does not believe in Islam as the true religion. The West has graciously welcomed millions of Muslims as new immigrants. There is no reverse immigration going the other way. Some of the hundreds of thousands of the Muslims that live in the West, are abusing the freedom and rights that exist in the countries that have accepted them. They are using the western liberal culture of free speech, freedom of religion and the right to protest, to bring about chaos. Their aim is to destroy the very fabric of Western liberal culture, and replace it with an Islamic culture of subjugation. Social media has allowed uneducated and uninformed individuals to spread hatred to millions. The irony of the situation is that the LGBTQ community and women who believe passionately in women’s rights, have come out strongly in favor of Hamas. Unless they have a collective suicide wish, they have absolutely no idea about what they are supporting. It is time for people in the West to wake up to reality.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini reacts emotionally to Brussels bombings. Speaking in Jordan’s capital Amman, she cut short a news conference, fighting back tears.
The Palestinians have never accepted that Jews have a valid claim to any part of the land of Israel. They deny the Holocaust and deny over three thousand years of Jewish existence and history in any part of Israel. They claim every inch of Israel as Palestinian land. Despite these absurd claims, the Palestinians have huge support from the United Nations, the European Union and the Arab League. The Palestinians are without doubt the world’s most special people.
The Palestinians have perfected the art of portraying themselves as victims. They have refused offer after offer of a Palestinian State living alongside Israel in peace. They have always blamed Israel for all the problems that their own leadership has created. The Palestinians have no intellectual property and no oil. They don’t even have a currency of their own. They exist on charity. The world has poured billions of dollars into the bottomless pit of Palestinian aspirations to destroy Israel. While the Palestinians suffer poverty and despair, their leaders have become extremely rich from ripping off their own society, and stealing a chunk of the humanitarian aid that continues to pour in. No matter how large the deficit of most European countries is, they always seem to find money for the Palestinians. Not even the atrocities committed on October 7, 2023 can get the world to stop supporting the Palestinians. One can rightly ask why are the Palestinians so special?
Talk about Queer! How long would these supporters of Hamas survive in Gaza, which persecutes their community noting one high-profile case of Hamas killed a prominent commander after accusing him of “ homosexuality”.
The answer can be found in plain old-fashioned antisemitism. The world just cannot accept that Jews now control the biblical land of Israel. It goes against two thousand years of Christian blood libels and lies, and against the Islamic aim of subjugating and imposing Sharia law across the world.
October 7, 2023 changed Israel. What followed was a real wake-up call to every Jew in the world. The double standards and antisemitism in the world were totally exposed. The initial pain and shock of the barbarity of the attackers and their celebration and filming of their own atrocities was quickly forgotten by the world. The poisonous venom of pent-up antisemitism suddenly burst forth once again, and flowed freely through university campuses, and through towns and cities across the world. In an instant, Israelis realized that the time had come to put aside their differences and defend Israel. When Russia attacked Ukraine, the Ukrainian government passed laws that prevented young male adults from leaving Ukraine. In Israel, the opposite happened. Israelis reserve soldiers living overseas or on holiday quickly returned to rejoin their army units and defend Israel. EL AL organized special free flights for soldiers lining up to return to Israel. The number of Israelis joining the army exceeded the call-up requirements of the IDF. Hundreds of voluntary organizations were formed to help wherever help was needed. Israelis were stunned by what had happened, but quickly rose up in a unified response. Everyone wanted to do their share of what needed to be done.
Instead of the world condemning Hamas, the world demanded an immediate ceasefire, and started condemning Israel for defending itself. TV channels the world over had an agenda aimed at demonizing and delegitimizing Israel. Not matter what Israel did, it was judged to be using disproportionate force, of breaking international rules of warfare, of committing crimes against humanity, and finally the worst crime of all, namely genocide. The actual heinous crimes of Hamas were ignored, and Israel was accused of the very crimes that Hamas had committed. The sickening response in social media, the liberal press and TV stations, is one of the low points in the history of news reporting. The suffering of the Palestinians was highlighted in every newspaper and TV report. The plight of the hostages did not concern any of the human rights organizations of the world. Women’s rights organizations were totally silent to the rapes and utter barbarity that took place on October 7. The Red Cross not only refused to carry out their mandate to visit the hostages, they even refused to transfer medications given to them by Israel that were desperately needed by some of the hostages. What a disgrace.
Over 120 countries have recognized the State of Palestine. Not one of these countries wants to accept anyone from Gaza. What they want is to support Hamas so that Hamas will remain in control of Gaza and will attack Israel again and again. This is not going to happen. Israel will remain resolute in its beliefs, narrative and traditions and will not allow Hamas to remain in control of Gaza or any other territory. Hamas has acted beyond all accepted human behavior and has scored an own goal of historic proportions. It has eliminated the possibility of ever being a peace partner.
Hate in the UK. Saturday, another anti-Israel protest, another weekend in which British Jews are exposed to an outpouring of hate across the UK – London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, the list goes on.
Since 1979, the Iranian regime has promoted the slogans, Death to America and Death to Israel. The Mullahs of Iran mean exactly what they say. Iran is behind the funding, training and provision of military equipment to Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, Iraq, and the Houthis. The aim of Iran is crystal clear. It is to promote a Muslim Caliphate across the Middle East and to subjugate the world to Sharia law. The destruction of Israel is central to this plan. Instead of condemning this plan to eliminate a member country of the UN, the UN is actively supporting this idea. October 7, 2023 was one of the darkest days for Israel since the holocaust. The war, started by Hamas, quickly grew into a regional war. Initially President Biden supported Israel, but he soon switched his foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal. Antony Blinken, the American Secretary of State, will be remembered, if he is remembered at all, as a total disaster in the Middle East. He personified American weakness, and used his position to prevent Israel from ever being able to win the war. Biden’s warning to Hezbollah and Iran of “DON’T” was completely ignored. Biden and Blinken were not up to the task required. So here we are, more than 500 days later with Israeli hostages still being held by Hamas. Hamas and Hezbollah still exist, but their ability to attack Israel has been greatly reduced and their leadership has been decimated.
The big change is that since January 20th, there is a new sheriff in town. All the hostages have a better chance of being released under Trump, than they ever did under Biden. Israel has a green light to do what needs to be done to end this ridiculous war. It seems likely that history will repeat itself. Those that attempt to destroy Israel, will inevitably be the ones to be destroyed. The only way that this war will end is if the Mullahs of Iran are removed from power. A prerequisite to the start of any reconstruction of Gaza is the return of all the hostages and the end of the rule of Hamas.
Israel has shown incredible resilience. The courage of the nation augurs well for the future. The next generation of Israeli leaders will come from the heroes that defended the country in the war that started on October 7. Those that were killed or injured will never be forgotten. What has happened will inspire future generations of Jews. The State of Israel is not utopia, but we will continue to be a light unto the world. With the help of the Almighty, Israel will prosper and survive until the end of days.
About the writer:
AccountantNeville Berman had an illustrious sporting career in South Africa, being twice awarded the South African State Presidents Award for Sport and was a three times winner of the South African Maccabi Sportsman of the Year Award. In 1978 he immigrated to the USA to coach the United States men’s field hockey team, whereafter, in 1981 he immigrated to Israel where he practiced as an accountant and then for 20 years was the Admin Manager at the American International School in Even Yehuda, Israel. He is married with two children and one granddaughter.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
