The South African Zionist Federation condemns the blatant misrepresentation and misinformation reported on, by the Independent Media group in its publications of the 19th November 2015.

In the headlines of the Cape Times and thereafter published through additional papers within the “Independent Media Group”, a report by the paper’s Foreign Editor Shannon Ebrahim claimed that the South African Police have pledged to enforce arrest warrants issued by Turkey against four members of the Israeli armed forces should they enter the country. The report further claimed that SAPS has made this an undertaking and that it is based on what is said to be an official letter written by an SAPS official, whose name the source of the story is “not at liberty to disclose”.

Earlier this week, National police spokesman‚ Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi‚ categorically denied that this was the case, saying, "There is no truth to this. No arrest warrants have been issued for any of the people mentioned‚” he said. “We have checked with our Interpol and our Crimes Against the State officials and they deny any such thing."

We are investigating the matter to ascertain the true facts and will utilise all means at our disposal to get to the bottom of this incident.

We call on the “Independent Media Group” to publish the letter on which all these claims have been made.

Failing which, we advise that the above report be dismissed as being just one more instance of misleading, agendised journalism by those who make no attempt to hide their anti-Israel agenda.

Statement issued by Ben Swartz, Chairman SA Zionist Federation, 20 November 2015