Israelis assist Kenya

DEAR EDITOR — Although the Kenyan army’s outstanding, but unexpected, victory over al-Qaeda’s Somali al-Shabaab was reported, the importance of this event to SA and sub-Saharan Africa was perhaps not emphasised enough. In driving it out of its last strategic stronghold in Kismayu, abutting Kenya, it denied the Islamists further access to eastern Africa in its thrust southwards.

Reports were not accurate, sometimes describing the force as African Union (AU) when it specifically was not. Following the failure of the United Nations to rid Kenya of this threat and the usual inaction of the AU, Kenya found assistance in France and Israel; anathema to SA and the AU.

“We are working closely with foreign intelligence in the war on terror that is posing threats to our country, including the French and Israelis who I can confirm are in the country,” said Njeru Mwaniki, head of the antiterrorism unit. “Israel advised in the planning of Kenyan field operations, supplied Nairobi with the weapons appropriate for these tactics, including drones and field intelligence equipment, and that Israeli intelligence and special ops specialists in counterterrorism counselled Kenyan internal security authorities on security in the big towns.”

This is the robust action required in North Africa, Nigeria and Mali if Iran-supported jihadists are to be deterred from the chaos they are visiting on Africa. This is another example where Israeli expertise in antiterrorism, water management and advanced agricultural methods is being shared with the African governments which are not too arrogant or prejudiced to accept assistance.

Unfortunately here in SA our government prefers to indulge in childish boycott politics on the basis of a onesided perspective in the hope of securing a few extra votes in Cape Town, instead of allowing the state to benefit from Israeli know-how.