Al-Qalam 
By Nabeelah Shaikh
Growing outrage has erupted in South Africa following revelations that a 22-year-old man from Johannesburg is a sniper in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).
Aaron Bayhack, identified in the documentary “The Ghost Unit” by Palestinian investigative journalist Younis Tirawi, is reportedly part of an elite sniper unit known for its role in the deaths of unarmed civilians in Gaza. This revelation has reignited discussions around the involvement of South Africans in foreign military conflicts, particularly in light of the ongoing situation in Palestine.
Dr. Ahmed Haroon Jazbhay, an Executive Member of the Media Review Network, expressed grave concerns over Bayhack’s involvement.
“It must be noted that Bayhack is not the first South African to serve in the Zionist terror forces. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has a comprehensive dossier of evidence carefully assembled by the Media Review Network, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Attorney Ziyaad Patel. In it, we identify 15 South Africans who are serving or have served in the usurping entity’s terror forces. This excludes Bayhack,” said Jazbhay.
Jazbhay urged the NPA to enforce the Foreign Military Assistance Act against those fighting for the IDF. “Our laws are useless in the statute books if we cannot apply them without fear or favour. We, as complainants, have the right to question their inability and reluctance to enforce legislation. Their failure places them in the corner of Netanyahu’s Genocide in Gaza,” said Jazbhay.
He further accused Bayhack of being a murderer and war criminal, asserting that the NPA’s inaction would render it complicit in genocide.
Jazbhay said: “Present geopolitics and diplomatic pressure from the Zionist entity and its global cheerleaders and protectors are not something that the NPA needs to consider. It’s time for the NPA to show that it has some teeth.”
The South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) echoed these sentiments, emphasising that this revelation was not unexpected.
“For decades now, the Zionist community in South Africa have been one of the strongest supporters of Israel in terms of finances and resources, sending SA citizens to partake in the expanded occupation and killing of Palestinians as part of the IDF, as well as providing political and media coverage and support for the Zionist settler colonial state,” said Dr Faisal Suliman, the chairperson of SAMNET.
He called for the NPA to take decisive action against South Africans involved with the IDF, insisting that they should be held accountable for violating South African laws and human rights. Additionally, Suliman expressed concern over a rising number of Israelis relocating to South Africa, particularly to the Western Cape.
“It’s common knowledge that almost every person from Israel has served in the Israeli military, and most have served in areas disputed under international law. They have been involved in the killing, torturing and beating of innocent Palestinians. This means that virtually every adult that has come to SA from Israel should be held accountable in SA, and we should be querying whether these people should be allowed to live here and if they should be given work permits,” said Suliman.
Suliman called on South African security officials to treat this matter seriously, voicing scepticism about the current Home Affairs Minister’s intentions.
“We do not have confidence that the DA’s Home Affairs Minister will do anything to investigate or stop this from happening. If anything, we believe the DA’s Home Affairs Minister is going to facilitate and expand the number of Israelis fleeing Israel and coming to South Africa. We have no confidence in the Minister of Home Affairs stopping this, so it needs to be taken up by the Presidency and the Minister of State Security,” said Suliman.
Suliman warned that the presence of these individuals poses a “clear present danger to the national security of SA” and called for immediate government action. “It cannot go on without the government taking clear and firm interest and action in this matter,” said Suliman.
He said SAMNET was actively seeking support for this initiative, urging organisations interested in addressing these issues to contact them directly.
“We are currently in the process of getting in touch with the Presidency to raise our concerns. If there is anyone who wants to support our calls for action, please get in touch with us via info@samnet.co.za,” said Suliman.
