By Derek Arnolds
From the Editor:
In his last week’s article in Lay of the Land ‘Insights from the Inside’, recently retired senior intelligence analyst in the South African Secret Service, Derek Arnolds, posited that:
“Hamas’s propaganda war has fundamentally shaped South Africa’s policy vis-à-vis Israel.”
The article solicited plenty feedback, both praise and criticism, so much so that Arnolds felt inspired to respond, which appears hereunder.
David E. Kaplan Editor.
Dear readers,
On August 11th, 2025, I penned an article in Lay of the Land, “Succumbing to Hamas’ propaganda, South Africa’s government is part of an immoral minority on the wrong side of history”, wherein I provided a critical commentary, based on evidential foundations, about the African National Congress and the South African government for its position on the Israel-Palestine conflict, without calumny. Specifically, I posited that strained bilateral relations require recalibration despite the ongoing International Court of Justice genocide case. The article aimed to spark a conversation with a diverse audience, even those who might have found its contents unpalatable. While some have welcomed the article as incisive, others have found it overly critical and biased. I welcome a contrarian perspective lest I be accused of being a grumpy writer. As always, I am amenable to constructive criticism as we find meaning in differences. This is the essence of the Socratic method of reasoning. I am inspired by the works of great authors like Khalil Gibran and Martin Buber on humility and building enduring interrelationships despite differences. After rereading Buber’s seminal book, “I and Thou” (1923), I do believe human beings should seek to build relationships based on mutual recognition and dialogue.
Critical debate and dialogue are essential in solving South Africa’s myriad societal problems, not only in the foreign policy domain. South Africans are alarmed at the country’s negative economic growth trajectory and the impact of the United States’ stinging tariffs. South Africa has matured into a durable democracy and remains Africa’s last great hope. South Africa is not an Orwellian society; hence, South Africans of all persuasions have the right to criticise its government’s foreign policy as it is representative of the whole. While foreign policy formulation remains the purview of the South African presidency, it must take into account domestic and external considerations. Foreign policy, like ‘strategy’ and ‘grand strategy’, is a blueprint for a country’s engagement with the external environment. Therefore, it must be adaptable in the face of radical uncertainty, disruptive and emerging technologies and the weaponisation of artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, misperceptions about South Africa’s foreign relations with other countries do exist. Criticism of South Africa’s foreign policy does not constitute disloyalty in the same way as support for the Palestinian cause does not amount to extremism. In a related vein, not all Israelis support their right-wing government’s policies in Gaza. At the time of writing, thousands of Israelis took to the streets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to demand an end to the war in the Strip and the release of all hostages. Even Israel’s military leaders have misgivings about a prolonged presence in Gaza. Although Israel’s security cabinet has set specific conditions for a ceasefire, including a post-war governance structure sans Hamas and the Palestinian Authority (PA – the entity that governs the West Bank), I do believe it is misguided to exclude the PA since it is an international legal entity that emerged out of the Gaza-Jericho Agreement (1994) and the Oslo Accords. Despite its dysfunctionality, the PA – supported by Israel, the international community and key regional players – should be revitalised to take over governance of Gaza. This debate is already taking place in the Arab world. Although angst permeates the Israeli and Palestinian national psyche due to the war, no one can object that the Palestinians deserve a state of their own. For this to materialise, direct talks between the two sides are necessary, and mutual trust – broken due to decades of wars – needs to be rebuilt. In essence, this is what peace-loving South Africans want. South Africa can play a crucial part in future peace initiatives in the form of outreach programs and best practices from our reconciliation project. The South African Jewish Board of Deputies and Friends of Israel are part of outreach programs with other faith-based organisations. The article was written in that spirit.
Yours sincerely
Derek Arnolds
About the writer:
Derek Arnolds is a freelance writer and analyst. Opinions expressed in this letter are my own and do not reflect those of my past employers.
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).