The Unspoken Alliance: Israel's Secret Relationship with Apartheid South Africa

by Sasha Polakow-Suransky

Prior to the Six-Day War, Israel was a darling of the international left, vocally opposed to apartheid and devoted to building alliances with black leaders in newly independent African nations. South Africa, for its part, was controlled by a regime of Afrikaner nationalists who had enthusiastically supported Hitler during World War II. But after Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories in 1967, the country found itself estranged from former allies and threatened anew by old enemies. As both states became international pariahs, a covert—and lucrative—military relationship blossomed between these seemingly unlikely allies.
 
Based on extensive archival research and exclusive interviews with former generals and high-level government officials in both countries, The Unspoken Alliance tells a troubling story of Cold War paranoia, moral compromises, and startling secrets.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Israel, Africa, Politics, South Africa, Middle East

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Murtaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a refreshingly sober look at a subject that could very easily devolve into polemic. Suransky draws the outlines of a relationship that spanned decades. The Israel-South Africa alliance is a relic of the Cold War that remains a source of embarrassment and grievance for those who remember it today. The relationship was not always a straightforward love affair between two apartheid states. Many Israelis did feel qualms about being tied to such an unpopular regime and warned against identifying their own country with it so publicly. There was also a surprising pre-1967 history of Israeli leaders identifying their country as the part of the anti-colonial bloc that included Black Africa.

Despite this, however, there were many within the Israeli defense establishment and right-wing political blocs who saw the alliance with apartheid South Africa in ideological terms. The friendship between two ostensible pariah states at war with the indigenous populations around them seemed like a natural one to Likudnik generals like Ariel Sharon and Raful Eitan, but even "doves" like Shimon Peres often heaped cringeworthy praise on the Afrikaaner regime. More than anything the alliance was tied together by massive arms sales, with South Africa becoming perhaps Israel's biggest trading partner on the back of its massive weapons purchases. As can be expected, there are many damning quotes in here from Israeli officials expressing their support and even admiration at times for the regime.

Perhaps as interesting as the alliance was the subtext of the book that described how Israel's embrace of South Africa, whether pragmatic or ideological, lead to its ultimate falling out with the global left. At its inception leftists supported Israel, in mutual sympathy with its socialist founders. Today the country is universally condemned on the left. Once Israel became an occupying power following the Six Day War it lost its lustre for progressives and found itself moving clearly into the camp of the oppressors. In many ways the post-1967 war embrace of South Africa by Israeli leaders helped accelerate this dynamic. South Africa was perhaps the least popular regime on earth and hitching Israel's fortunes to the Afrikaaners enraged not only leftists but also Black Americans who had been key partners with pro-Israel American Jews in the civil rights coalition. This history was absolutely fascinating and has never really been told properly up til this point.

The book concludes with an appraisal of whether Israel today has inherited the Apartheid State label from its departed I ally. Published in 2011, it says "not quite." But even at that time the writing seemed to be on the wall. While there are some remaining variances between the two regimes I think its clear the trajectory that Israel is on, barring any sudden flashes of lucidity by its leaders. Anyone who has been to the West Bank would not have to imagine too hard what the Afrikaaner regime of Bantustans and pass-laws looked like. All in all a vital, non-polemic history that is important to any full understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict and its place in global ideological debate.

[Michael · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting book about a subject that suffers from much misinformation and hyperbole. Sadly the authors obvious bias clouds his narrative. The author touches on but never explores the fundamental hypocrisy of much of the hand wringing over both Israel and South Africa. The many dictatorships, genocides and injustices that where ignored or downplayed in order to pursue the single-minded assault on South Africa then and Israel now. In a saner world all injustices would be addressed not just those that are politically acceptable.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author's documentation of Israel's military and trade relationship with apartheid South Africa is detailed and meticulous. The book presents the relationship as amoral at best, and downright immoral in the judgment of most people. He stresses in the introduction and in much greater detail in the epilogue that the book is not a study of what many critics term "Israeli apartheid", but a study of the relationship that existed between these states, particularly during the 1970s and 1980s. With that said, he goes in to some detail why he thinks there are many parallels between South African apartheid and the policies that are being pursued by right-wing Israeli politicians. A very interesting read.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, I've maybe never read a book that's so long and yet so consistently packed with mind-blowing stories (i'd even say "revelations" tbh). And I say this despite it being like the 400th book I've read about Israel's... sordid history. Polakow-Suransky's perspective is fascinating as well -- it's kinda like, he's a Zionist but def one of the most honest+critical ones I've ever read. Almost, but not quite, chomsky-style. Long story short I highly highly recommend, whether or not you know anything about Israel!

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable account of an oft-overlooked story in modern political history. The author remains objective while discussing a touchy subject, and remains careful to avoid making blanket judgments. Instead, using a variety of sources, Polkalow tells the sadly unsavory tale of a political alliance forged in the nuclear era between a regime bent on oppressing its native peoples, and a new nation with few friends, endless enemies, and few options for peace.

[Jeffrey Cavanaugh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An informative, in-depth examination of the rise and fall of Israel's secret military alliance with apartheid South Africa. It will become the 'go-to' book on this topic for some time to come.

[Hamid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vital contribution to the history of Israel and its relationship with the world. You get the impression through reading that Polakow-Suransky (PS) was well aware about the possible risks she was taking in writing this, which leads to a fair amount of what I interpret as holding back or attempting to over-contextualise Israel's reasons for the relationship.

PS is at their strongest when examining how the relationship developed, the internal and external forces shaping the relationship, how the relationship was discussed inside and outside Israel and the shared cultural, societal and state-related shape of both Israel and South Africa.

On the other hand, they're at their weakest when discussing "for-granted" historical events. Eg 1967 is framed as a necessary war against Arab attack etc. They over-emphasise (in my opinion) the "moral" aspects of Golda Meir's politics. Ie her relationship with African states is seen as pursuing an intensely moral idea of shared humanity - this without any hint of her views of Palestinians (and how frequently she murdered them). And, most importantly, the Palestinians are mostly absent from her overarching narrative outside of being props that spur Israeli action here or there.

Must-read for anyone reading deeply on I/P.

[Graham · Rating 3 out of 5]

An exhaustively-researched deep dive into an obscure geopolitical connection, The Unspoken Alliance reveals the almost 20 years of collaboration between the apartheid state of South Africa and the neo-apartheid state of Israel.

It's a particularly good example of realpolitik: why would a state like Israel, born from the ashes of years of Jewish discrimination culminating in a Holocaust, align itself so completely with a state based entirely on discrimination and genocide? Especially when many of the central figures in the founding of South Africa were unrepentant Nazis?

Well, because they're available and they'll buy weapons, is the answer.

It's a forgotten story, and one with extra resonance post-October 7th as the current Israeli state takes what it learned from years of collaboration with South African Defense Forces and puts the full brunt on ethnically cleansing Gaza. Anyone seeking to understand the current crisis in the Middle East would do well to read this book to help understand precisely how we've gotten to this point.

[Kenneth Chanko · Rating 3 out of 5]

Painstakingly researched, though the writing is often dry, this book does a particularly good job of explicating the reasons why the governments of these two countries sought out each other and developed unusually close ties.

[Adir Puterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding research
Sobering reading for a South African Zionist Jew

[Nora Staal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book! It is so interesting and well researched. I have recommended it to dozens of people.

[Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty interesting

[Michael Ginsberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprising story about this incredibly quiet alliance. It is fascinating to watch the world change from the 1970s through the 1990s through this alliance. It's a piece of history that has not been studied or written about significantly, and understanding the complex relationship between Israel, South Africa, and the US provides insight into how complex foreign relations can be.

[Julian Daniel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I respect all the effort the author had to do to carry out such groundbreaking research, including all the hidden archives and elderly witnesses he needed to find along the way. Unfortunately, it read as rather dull to me; most of the events chronicled were dry negotiations of arms deals.