Task Force created in Africa to counter terror fears from Iran and jihadi groups

JOHANNESBURG - To antagonistic the perceived menace of panic from Iran and jihadi groups, South Africa’s main rabbi is mounting up a specializer task force. 

Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein was spurred into creating the radical aft a weaponry onslaught astatine a Jewish halfway successful Cape Town past month. An improvised explosive instrumentality was thrown astatine the Samson Community Center but failed to detonate. The halfway is location to respective South African Jewish organizations. 

The "Counter-Terror Task Force" volition marque recommendations to support places of worship, schools and assemblage centers.

"South Africa's Jewish community, similar different Jewish communities globally, faces heightened hazard of panic attacks," Goldstein told Fox News Digital. "The Iranian authorities is the world’s main exponent of state-sponsored terror, and person made it their strategy to people Jewish communities worldwide. With this successful mind, the findings of the task unit volition beryllium applied not conscionable successful South Africa, but globally." 

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A antheral brandishes a replica artifact weapon during a pro-Palestinian objection organized by the South African absorption enactment Economic Freedom Fighters successful beforehand of the Israeli Embassy successful Pretoria, South Africa, connected Oct. 23, 2023. (Marco Longari/AFP via Getty Images)

He added, "In addition, Africa has implicit the past decennary go a hub for planetary jihadi terror, with the menace indices dramatically expanding arsenic groups specified arsenic al-Shabab, Boko Haram and ISIS run passim the continent." 

The task unit comprises planetary authorities connected terror: Admiral Mike Hewitt, erstwhile lawman manager for Global Operations for the Joint Chiefs of Staff astatine the U.S. Defense Department, Dean Haydon, erstwhile elder nationalist coordinator for counter-terrorism successful the United Kingdom, Major General David Tsur, erstwhile commandant of the counter-terrorism portion successful the Israeli Police, and Andre Pienaar, co-founder of South Africa’s Directorate of Special Operations, besides known arsenic the Scorpions. 

Members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard march during a parade. (Reuters)

The main rabbi added, "They volition beryllium marshalling further resources and unit arsenic and erstwhile needed." 

Goldstein said the force’s contiguous nonsubjective "is to unafraid the South African Jewish assemblage against attacks. The broader nonsubjective is to amended guarantee the information of each South Africans, and citizens of countries astir the world." 

He continued, "Across Africa, especially, it is Christians acold much than Jews who endure the consequences of Jihadist terror. Each year, Jihadists execution thousands of Christians for their faith." 

South Africa Chief Rabbi Dr. Warren Goldstein. (The Office of The Chief Rabbi)

Goldstein told Fox News Digital that the South African government’s stance astatine the International Court of Justice, wherever it has accused Israel of genocide implicit the warfare successful Gaza, has "stigmatized Jews not lone wrong the state but globally." 

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However, Goldstein added that the views of the authorities present are not needfully the views of the people. "Against that it indispensable beryllium understood that the South African nationalist mostly holds mean and pragmatic views connected Israel, and levels of home antisemitism stay precise debased by Western standards."

"There were 128 recorded antisemitic incidents successful 2024 successful South Africa," Professor Karen Milner, nationalist seat of the Jewish Board of Deputies successful South Africa, told Fox News Digital. "This makes it the second-highest fig of incidents since grounds keeping began successful 1998. The highest fig of incidents was recorded successful 2023 (182). However, 63% of these occurred instantly pursuing the events of October 7 (the Hamas onslaught successful Israel).

Members of the Active African Christians United Movement airs arsenic 1 of them blows done a shofar, a ritual philharmonic instrumentality utilized to usher successful the Jewish New Year, arsenic others stitchery successful enactment of Israel extracurricular the Embassy of Israel successful Pretoria, South Africa, connected Nov. 17, 2023. (Photo by EMMANUEL CROSET/AFP via Getty Images)

"The aboriginal months of 2024 were impacted greatly by the wave of antisemitism that instantly followed the October 7 attacks successful Israel," Milner continued. "It is worthy noting that the bulk of the antisemitic incidents recorded successful 2024 were verbal assaults, targeted hatred mail, oregon antagonism, with precise fewer incidents graduating into carnal assault."

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Milner concluded, adding, "with that said, antisemitism remains overmuch little than different comparable countries, and South Africa remains a harmless abstraction successful which Jews tin place arsenic Jewish and signifier their religion successful comparative security."

Fox News Digital reached retired to the South African Justice and Police Departments but did not person a response.