South African activist who called Israel apartheid now leads pro-Israel outreach

Bafana Bi, a 33-year-old South African activist, transformed from a vocal critic of Israel, believing it to be an apartheid state, to a leading advocate for direct engagement with the country. His perspective shifted after a 2016 visit to Israel, where he observed a reality of coexistence between Jews and Arabs, prompting him to question his previous assumptions. "I was sure Israel was an apartheid state," Bi stated, but after the visit, "We saw the truth for ourselves and found ourselves questioning what we had thought were facts all these years."

• Bi now heads Israel-is activities in South Africa, promoting Israel's image through personal encounters and human stories, and runs a pro-Israel social media operation with over 200,000 followers.
• He organizes visits to Israel for South African politicians, community leaders, and brings Israeli advocacy delegations to South Africa.
• Recently, an Israel-is delegation, including an Israeli of Ethiopian descent, an Israeli Arab Muslim, and a Lebanese-Israeli Christian, held 15 events, reaching over 1,300 people to share diverse Israeli perspectives.
• Bi notes a distinction between the South African government's anti-Israel stance and the general public's focus on domestic issues, asserting, "South Africa is indifferent to the war today. Foreign policy is not really the issue here in South Africa."