Warren Goldstein, South Africa’s chief rabbi, has issued a stern warning to banks in the country who may be – unwittingly or not – facilitating payments to Hamas (a recognized terrorist group) and affiliated organizations. In a Jerusalem Post investigative report last week, three of the country’s main banks, Nedbank, Standard Bank, and Absa, were accused of enabling funding for Hamas activities through the Al-Quds Foundation, an international group sanctioned by the US and outlawed by Israel.
>> Watch additional episodes by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefrabbigoldstein
“I have written to the CEOs of these banks and have allowed them to come and see me to provide assurance and proof that these allegations are without merit,” Goldstein said in a video message released on YouTube in the wake of Friday’s ICJ ruling.
“Failing this, I have warned them that there are numerous local criminal and international anti-terror laws here that they may be contravening. I will personally pursue this case on every forum to hold them accountable,” he warned.
South African network involved with funding Hamas
In response, Standard Bank said that one of its core values “is to uphold the highest levels of integrity,” and that it “abides by the laws of the jurisdictions in which it operates, including anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing regulation.” It further said it was bound by a duty to maintain client confidentiality.
Research conducted by the Post’s staff and several sources uncovered what appears to be a network of several South African organizations and straw man companies deeply involved with funding Hamas activities through the Al-Quds Foundation, an international group sanctioned by the US and outlawed by Israel, using accounts registered in major local South African banks: Standard Bank, Nedbank, and Absa.
Goldstein called the bank’s statement a “pro forma response” that didn’t deal with the matters raised. “I intend to take it up with all the banks and not let them hide behind superficial statements,” he said.
Elsewhere in his speech, the chief rabbi addressed the ICJ interim judgment: “Even a political body appointed by the United Nations General Assembly, whose members are mainly non-democratic states, couldn’t bring itself to impose a ceasefire, but we should not be grateful for that,” he says. “They had no moral right to order Israel to cease its just war of self-defense in the first place.
>> Watch additional episodes by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefrabbigoldstein
“What these so-called judges should have done is express the gratitude of the international community of civilized nations for the bravery and sacrifice of Israel’s young soldiers who are going door to door to defeat the forces of barbarism in the Middle East, so that many of you listening to this, who live in the free world, will not have to do it yourselves in your cities, to protect your children and grandchildren.
“This is not 1938. It is 2024. The Jewish people do not have to go on our knees to beg for the right to defend ourselves against those who seek to exterminate us… with God’s blessings, we have a sovereign Jewish state for the first time in almost 2000 years, protected by a powerful army ensuring Jewish blood is not spilled with impunity.”
The speech was a wide-range call to action, asking “strong, proud, vibrant Jewish communities” throughout the Diaspora to leverage their resources and alliances to support Israel in its time of need.
“Enjoying full political and civil rights, flourishing as contributing members of our societies, wielding influence and power, we, the Jews of the Diaspora, have the right, the resources, and the capacity to support and defend the interests of the State of Israel and the Jewish people in this just war of self-defense.”
“We are not the Jews of 1938"
Goldstein noted recent diplomatic wins, including the arguably forced resignation of the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania, the bipartisan letter signed by more than 200 members of Congress condemning the ICJ proceedings, and the “rock-solid support” of powerful governments worldwide.
“We are not alone. We have allies across the globe; fair-minded, decent citizens and free democratic governments who are fully behind Israel and the Jewish people at this moment of crisis. Our allies can see the justice of Israel’s cause, [and] unlike the ICJ, can tell who are the real genocidal forces.”
The South African chief rabbi ended the video with a rousing call to Jewish communities worldwide to recognize “that a new era has dawned.”
>> Watch additional episodes by Rabbi Warren Goldstein, Chief Rabbi of South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/@chiefrabbigoldstein
“We are not the Jews of 1938, or of the Roman expulsion, or of the Spanish Inquisition. We are not the Jews that were massacred in the pogroms of Europe. When confronted with fearsome enemies, Jews of previous generations had no choice but to take flight. This generation can and will fight. We will fight back with every measure possible, with dignity, with strength, with self-belief, and with the sense of the justice of our cause.”
This, he deemed a “moral charge.”
“We need to believe in ourselves, and we need to send the message to all of our enemies that we will not be cowards, we will not be pushed around, we will not be slaughtered with impunity. This is a moral charge. And we will defend the survival of our people – and indeed, the free world – from forces of barbarism.”
Nedbank would not confirm, citing banker-client confidentiality, whether Baitul Maqdis (a shell corporation interchangeable with the Al-Quds Foundation, which is presumably disguising itself under this name), is a client. Nedbank has a “comprehensive risk management and compliance program” that is “aligned with international standards to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing,” according to the bank. It added that Nedbank “strictly adheres to sanctions and related legislation and is confident that [their] risk management controls and reporting obligations are robust.” Should the bank become aware of “any illegal or suspicious activity in client accounts,” moreover, the bank “would not hesitate to take the necessary actions in terms of [their] processes and align with the relevant legislation.”