By Paul Hendler

[The Foundation for Defence of Democracies recently published a report about South Africa’s support for and alignment with Hamas. The report identifies key individuals — including Mandla Mandela (grandson of Nelson Mandela), Imtiaz Sooliman (leader of humanitarian aid organisation, Gift of the Givers) and Media Review Network (an organisation committed to countering Islamaphobic views in the mainstream media and public domain and promoting substantial and contextual public debate), as key pivots sustaining the presence of Hamas in South Africa, and calls for action against them through criminalising their activities.

This call is not happening in isolation. Geopolitically the US national security state[1] in conjunction with its West European vassals’ security apparatuses — particularly, but not necessarily limited to, the UK’s MI6 — has reacted to the growing assertiveness of the BRICS group[2], particularly its key members Russia and China, with trade tariffs and sanctions, military containment and threats of war. South Africa as the weakest link in the BRICS chain, has come under increasing pressure from the US national security state, which extends to apparatuses of the Israeli state. In the wake of the Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel on 7 October 2023 the ANC government was verbally attacked by Israel’s proxies the SA Zionist Federation, the SA Jewish Board of Deputies,[3] and particularly by Chief Rabbi Warren Goldstein, marking the opening of a political struggle against the Israel-critical components of the ANC. Recently, South Africa has received threatening remarks from the White House (including the expulsion of SA ambassador Ibrahim Rassool from the US, claims of white genocide and the imposition of 30 per cent trade tariffs on SA goods entering the US).

[1] Ex-CIA intelligence analyst Ray McGovern offered one of the clearest and to the point explanations of the signification of the ‘deep state’, as indicated in his interview in the hyperlinked podcast

[2] John Mearsheimer, political scientist of the Chicago University, provided a clear articulation of the shifting balance of geopolitical power from unipolarity to multipolarity and some of the implications of this has for the way the US and the west generally are viewed by the rest of the global nation states.

[3] In a post Wendy Khan (of the Board of Deputies) attacked Ronnie Kasrils for his expression of admiration for the military effectiveness of Hamas on 7 October 2023 — thereafter Kasrils replied to Khan.]

Media Review Network’s Iqbal Jassat responded to this Foundation for Defence of Democracies report refuting each of its claims.

Reeling from global outrage and anger against its barbaric slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza, Israel’s army of spin-doctors are desperately trying to pressure the South African government to relinquish its ground breaking genocide case at the International Court of Justice.

The latest tactic by a group closely aligned to America’s security and intelligence is directed to force the ANC-led government to not only undertake a witch hunt against individuals and organisations supportive of Hamas, but to delegitimise them as “terrorists”.

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Shocking but not surprising because for these so-called “think tanks” linked to the shameful promotion of the Zionist settler-colonial regime whether militarily or as Hasbara (propaganda) agents, all Palestinian solidarity movements — without exception — are demonised as antisemitic terror supporters.

It does not end there. The antisemitic canard is extended to include a range of disparaging terms designed to profile opponents of apartheid Israel as “violent extremists and radical jihadists”.

In other words, if Zionist Hasbarists are to be believed, the injustice and gross human rights violations against Palestinians practised by the apartheid regime of Israel for close to eight decades, is not only acceptable, but also justified.

Zionist logic dictates that all forms of solidarity for Palestine’s freedom struggle should be declared illegal and punishable.

The Israeli playbook is clear: Repression of Palestinians including the ongoing genocide is normalised; while resistance to it is terrorism. Thus the narrative promoted by Hasbarists and Zionist lobbyists is that the violent military assault and annihilation of Gaza is justified to defend the regime against terrorism, specifically “Hamas terrorists”.

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As a leading advocacy group based in Johannesburg and widely acknowledged as a credible counter to Zionist hasbara, the Media Review Network (www.mediareviewnet.com), has repeatedly faced such slanderous attacks.

In the words of the late doyen of SA journalists and former editor of the Rand Daily Mail Allister Sparks, renowned for his political acumen, the MRN “can best be described as a counter to the powerful global network of pro-Israeli organisations represented in this country by the South African Zionist Foundation”.

In his review of MRN’s publication “Why Israel?”, Sparks wrote that the book presented the Palestinian point of view in a carefully documented manner with every source meticulously provided.

Moreover, he said it presents “the other side” that is not adequately heard. And that it is presented from a specifically South African standpoint.

“The authors, and the organisation they represent, are people who fell on the wrong side of the colour line during apartheid, and their purpose here is to reveal the similarities between that time in our country and today’s Israel.”

Having exposed many of the sins of apartheid during his courageous journalistic career, it is to his credit that Sparks sought to gain a first-hand understanding of Hamas by travelling to Damascus to interview its exiled leaders.

He believed that Western governments and media have maligned Hamas in much the same way that the exiled ANC was misrepresented by the South African apartheid government.

Both the ANC and Hamas were unfairly and unjustly designated as terrorist organisations, barred from expressing their true intentions of representing their people. Israeli law prevents journalists from meeting with Hamas officials and reporting their statements; in much the same way that apartheid legislation made it a crime to quote any statements made by the ANC.

“This ensures that the Israeli narrative of Hamas being an evil, terrorist organisation is maintained, and the occupation is allowed to foster itself under the pretext of protecting Israel from such culprits”.

The latest attack by a US-based group in Washington follows a boring Zionist playbook by demanding the Trump administration “should respond to South Africa’s growing support for Hamas with targeted economic sanctions…” and that individuals and entities “whose actions suggest alignment with Hamas” should be investigated.

Known as FDD (Foundation for Defense of Democracies), it goes on to demand the US “should increase diplomatic pressure on South Africa… to designate Hamas as a terrorist organisation”.

The political agenda pursued by the FDD against South Africa is an extension of the Netanyahu regime’s declared aim to target Hamas all over the world. Leaning on the fact that South Africa is on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list, the FDD is openly applying pressure to have it remain grey-listed.

The individuals and groups it has singled out for attack are Mandla Mandela, Emad Saber, Ebrahim Gabriels, Imtiaz Sooliman, Gift of the Givers, Al Quds Foundation, the ANC, Media Review Network and its leadership.

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Apart from intruding in South Africa’s domestic and foreign policies, the FDD naively believes that it can adopt the impunity associated with Israel to insult, slander and disparage South Africa’s independence and sovereign status.

Contrary to the Hasbara by FDD and fellow Zionist lobbyists in South Africa, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, emphasised that Hamas should be recognised as a legitimate political movement rather than a group of murderers.

She noted that Hamas plays a significant administrative and service role in the Gaza Strip, asserting that the organisation came to power after winning what she described as the most democratic elections in the region, not only in Palestine.

Albanese pointed out that many individuals repeat mainstream narratives about Hamas without a true understanding of its role. She highlighted that the movement has established schools, public institutions, and hospitals, positioning itself as the de facto authority in Gaza.

Rejecting the portrayal of Hamas as solely a militant group, Albanese stated, “Hamas is not a band of murderers or heavily armed fighters, as it is often depicted in various narratives.”

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Indeed the silence by the FDD on what Albanese characterised the ongoing situation in Gaza as a “campaign of genocide,” speaks volumes.

Iqbal Jassat

Executive Member, MEDIA REVIEW NETWORK (MRN), Johannesburg, South Africa.

The original article is available on the MRN website

Executive Summary

This executive summary is designed for rapid policy and media engagement: a concise, evidence-based response to counter smears and reaffirm South Africa’s role as a global advocate for justice.

Rebuttal Dossier on Allegations Against South African Civil Society Solidarity with Palestine

Purpose: This summary addresses and dismantles recent defamatory claims made by The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). FDD is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan research institute focusing on USA national security and foreign policy. The Center on Economic and Financial Power (CEFP) studies national economic security, with a focus on how the United States can leverage its economic and financial power to achieve its national security objectives.

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CEFP promotes greater understanding of how the U.S. government can best employ its economic and financial authorities to counter its adversaries. It is targeting South African civil society organizations and leaders — specifically the Media Review Network (MRN), Gift of the Givers, Chief Mandla Mandela, and allied voices of conscience. The allegations seek to criminalize humanitarian aid, delegitimize solidarity, and align Palestinian resistance with terrorism, while ignoring overwhelming evidence of Israel’s occupation, apartheid policies, and war crimes documented by international authorities.

Naming and contextualising, who the writers, as the accusers are:

Max Meizlish is a senior research analyst for FDD’s Center on Economic and Financial Power. Previously, he worked at the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, the primary U.S. agency responsible for administering economic sanctions. Max’s research focuses on developing forward-leaning tools of economic statecraft, with a particular emphasis on the application of economic sanctions.

Melissa Sacks is the director of network analysis at FDD. Her research focuses on Hamas operating in South Africa and Turkey. Her work has appeared in publications including The National Interest, The Algemeiner, and Townhall.

David May is a senior research analyst and research manager at FDD specializing in economic warfare and the Middle East. Previously, he was a researcher at AIPAC where he focused on Israeli-Palestinian issues and the United Nations. David speaks Hebrew and Arabic.

The writers have been named, to clearly make their ideological agenda transparent and show, by extension, that their writing advances and promotes the USA/ Zionist Imperial interests.

1. Core Summary Findings

Note that Israeli Apartheid, as a “fact on the ground”, is Confirmed by International Bodies:

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the UN have all documented Israel’s systematic oppression of Palestinians as apartheid — a crime against humanity under international law.

Be reminded that Nelson Mandela himself declared: “We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”

Of note is that Palestinian Resistance is Legally Recognized:

UN General Assembly Resolutions (including 37/43) affirm the right of peoples under colonial domination to resist, by all available means, including armed struggle, provided it complies with international humanitarian law.

Equating all Palestinian resistance with terrorism is a distortion of international law and a silencing tactic against legitimate

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liberation movements. It is hollow sounding, Israeli Hazbara propaganda spin. A discredited narrative, which whitewashes the legality of resistance against occupation.

2. The Rebuttal of Specific Allegations made in the report

Falsely maligning the Media Review Network (MRN): MRN is Accused of spreading “extremist propaganda.”

In reality, MRN publishes analyses rooted in international law and human rights. No credible evidence links MRN to extremist activity. Its advocacy aligns with South Africa’s long tradition of anti-apartheid solidarity.

Discrediting the Gift of the Givers: Alleged to “channel funds to Hamas.”

This is patently false. The Gift of the Givers is South Africa’s largest humanitarian NGO, recognized by the South African government, the UN, and international partners. Its work spans across Syria, Yemen, Malawi, and local disaster relief, with audited transparency. Accusations of terrorism financing are baseless smear tactics against lifesaving aid.

Tarnishing the credibility of Chief Mandla Mandela: He’s accused of glorifying violence by supporting Palestinian resistance.

In fact, Mandela invokes the memory of his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, affirming that peace requires justice. His statements call for international law, equal rights, and self-determination — not indiscriminate violence.

Casting the fearmongering ruse against Civil Society Activists: They are alleged to be “radicalized” or “anti-Semitic.”

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Civil society voices frame their advocacy explicitly in anti-racist, anti-apartheid terms. They target policies of an occupying state, not Jewish identity. Equating criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism is an attempt to silence legitimate human rights advocacy.

3. Why This Matters: an attack on justice centric voices, risks the rise of authoritarianism, by normalising silence against injustice.

South Africa’s historic moral authority rests on its struggle against apartheid and its solidarity with oppressed peoples. Smears against MRN, Gift of the Givers, Mandla Mandela, and allied organizations are not simply attacks on individuals — they are attacks on the principles of justice, humanitarianism, and truth. We cannot be eminently human, if we are coopted, compliant and beholden unto the controlling Empire’s agenda.

4. What might be the Key Takeaways for resisting the Imperial Narrative?

The evidence is clear: Israel’s practices meet the legal definition of apartheid.

Humanitarian aid is under attack: Targeting NGOs like Gift of the Givers endangers lives in Gaza and beyond.

Voices of conscience will not be silenced: South African civil society continues its principled stand, rooted in the legacy of Mandela and the global anti-apartheid movement.

We cannot normalise Apartheid Zionism, predicated on race and religious exceptionalism and supremacism, leading to people being displaced, dispossessed of land, disenfranchised of their rights.

Thus, Zionism cannot be equated with the nobility of Judaic Tikkun Olam values. This report is typical of Zionist attempts, to libel, to discredit, to falsify, to deflect, to smear, in order to justify illegal pronouncements against valid justice driven activism.

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Contact for further information: Media Review Network.

Jassat’s critique of the FDD report emphasises the driving function of the ideology of US and Jewish exceptionalism. For an insightful reflection of the impact of the ideology of exceptionalism, on the collective psyche of Jewish Israelis, and explanation of IDF soldiers’ public demonstration of killing, torture and humiliation of Palestinians in Gaza, hear the view Aron Mizrahi by clicking on the video below.