Former Pro-Palestinian Activist Leads Israel Advocacy in South Africa After Eye-Opening Visit

Ben Pina, a 33-year-old former pro-Palestinian activist from South Africa, once used the slogan "From the river to the sea" and believed Israel was an apartheid state. His perspective shifted dramatically after a 2016 visit to Israel, where he observed Jews and Arabs working and living together, prompting him to question his previous views. Today, Pina heads the Israel advocacy group "Israeliz" in South Africa and collaborates with South African Friends of Israel.

In his role, Pina organizes trips for politicians, parliament members, and Christian community leaders to visit Israel and see the reality firsthand. He also manages a social media network with over 200,000 followers. Recently, Israeliz led a week-long advocacy mission in South Africa featuring 15 events and meetings with more than 1,300 participants. The delegation included Israeli representatives Batam, Fuad, and Miriam, who engaged with students, local communities, and media outlets.

Pina explains that the strong anti-Israel stance in South Africa is driven by the ruling ANC party's historical alliances, but the general public remains largely indifferent, focusing instead on domestic issues like employment, the economy, and electricity shortages. He adds that pro-Palestinian marches are mainly led by the Muslim community, while Jewish South Africans continue to live freely without hostility in the country.