TEL AVIV/JOHANNESBURG (Dispatches) -- Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency and a former Israeli military general, has cancelled a planned visit to South Africa over concerns he could face arrest on war crimes charges, Israeli media reported.
The Jewish Agency said the decision to cancel the trip was taken as a precautionary measure to avoid potential legal and diplomatic complications. Almog, who served in the Israeli military from 1969 until his retirement in 2003 as head of the Southern Command, has previously faced legal action abroad over his military record.
In 2005, a British court issued an arrest warrant for Almog over his involvement in the demolition of 59 Palestinian homes in Gaza—a potential violation of the Geneva Conventions. Almog avoided arrest at London’s Heathrow Airport by remaining aboard his plane after being tipped off by Israeli officials. UK authorities declined to board the aircraft, reportedly due to concerns over a possible armed confrontation with Almog’s security detail.
His canceled trip to South Africa comes amid heightened legal scrutiny of Israeli officials internationally. In November 2024, the International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former war minister Yoav Gallant over the use of starvation as a weapon in the Gaza war. The war, now approaching its second year, has led to increasing calls for accountability from international legal bodies and human rights groups.
Earlier this week, lawyers in Argentina filed a criminal complaint seeking Netanyahu’s arrest during an anticipated visit to Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, South Africa has openly threatened to detain Israeli officials and soldiers entering the country, citing ongoing genocide proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
Almog, who became chair of the Jewish Agency in 2022, leads an organization that promotes Jewish identity, encourages immigration to Israeli settlements, and integrates new arrivals. The agency, founded in 1929, played a pivotal role in Jewish immigration during the British Mandate and later served as a foundation for Israel’s early regime institutions, including its first regime under David Ben Gurion.