Ebrahim Moosa – Radio Islam News | 01 Safar 1439/22 October 2017

The leadership of the South African based Zionist Christian Church (ZCC) is currently in Israel, as part of a visit organised by pro-Israel lobby groups.

According to the Embassy of Israel in Pretoia, a ZCC delegation led by leader Barnabas Lekganyane is visiting the country from 17 to 25 October to focus on “engaging with the Christian Heritage in Israel”.

Lekganyane has already met with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and South African diplomatic representatives in Israel purportedly to “strengthen relationships between Israel and the Christian community in South Africa”.

As is characteristic of fully-paid hasbara junkets to Israel, the ZCC delegation were also enlisted to meet Israeli MASHAV officials, for the purpose of becoming acquainted with Israeli technology and innovation in order “to help develop and spread their knowledge back in South Africa.”

This is reportedly the first official visit to Israel for the movement’s leader, Bishop Dr. Barnabas Lekganyane. However, he has previously been to the region on pilgrimage.

Reverend Emmanuel Motollo, the spokesman for the ZCC, said the mission would primarily be focused on engaging and nourishing the spiritual life of the church and its Christian heritage.

“Much time will be spent in prayer at holy sites in communion with God,” he said, as quoted by the Jerusalem Post.

“It is well known amongst believers that there are many blessings that flow from an immersion with the Holy Land,” Motollo said.

Lekganyane met the Israel President on Thursday, in an interaction wherein the statesman was unequivocal in his rejection of boycotts targeting Israel.

“We can hear any kind of criticism, but the idea to boycott Israel, against the very idea that the people of Israel has a right to live in our homeland – this is something that we cannot accept.”

Rivlin, according to the Jerusalem Post, stressed that “Israel is a Jewish, democratic state, there is no contradiction between the two ideas.”

During the reception, the Israeli President was also presented with the star badge worn by members of the ZCC.

Founded in 1924, the ZCC claims to have 16 million members across Southern Africa. Its name and the symbolism of places such as Mount Zion and Mount Moriah present in its theology has piqued interest in it from Israel. In recent years, its leadership has consistently been invited to Israeli ‘Independence Day’ celebrations in the country, and Israeli diplomats have reciprocated with visits to the church’s annual congregation in the Limpopo province.

“The ZCC and the people of Israel share a deep and historical connection, reverberating through our joint practices and shared values. Yet another example of the importance and magnitude of the strong people-to-people relationship between Israel and South Africa,” Israeli Ambassador to South Africa Lior Keinan said of the current visit.

The ZCC mission was reportedly organized in conjunction with pro-Israel lobby group, South African Friends of Israel, which has been instrumental in arranging several other similar junkets from South Africa, including the highly publicised visit by the leadership of the Democratic Alliance(DA) to Israel this January.