DAVID SAKS
Beth-El, headed by Pastor Carlos Tembe, has been tireless in its lobbying of the Mozambican government to improve diplomatic relations with Israel. Last December, its efforts bore fruit when a delegation headed by Pastor Tembe was given a meeting with the Mozambican Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Co-operation and the Director of Africa and Middle East.
Earlier in the month, Pastor Carlos also met with the Mayor of Maputo. At both meetings, the need for Mozambique to forge ties of friendship and co-operation with Israel, described as the “first-born nation of G-d” which “promoted tikkun olam in the world”.
Pastor Carlos took the opportunity to express concern over the country’s consistently voting against Israel in the United Nations, referring in particular to the recently adopted Unesco resolution that effectively denied the connection of the Jewish people to Jerusalem.
Mozambique could not “deny the truth and history of humanity”, he said, because historically, Jerusalem belonged to “the people of Israel and not to the Muslims or Arabs”. It was affirmed that Christians had a “spiritual affinity with the Holy Land”; the government should hence “work to be Israel’s best friend”, and Mozambique would thrive accordingly.
The delegation also drew attention to the now largely forgotten support extended by Israel to the people of Mozambique during the struggle for independence against Portugal.
Beth-El reiterated its previous requests for an Israeli embassy to be established in Maputo, and for Mozambique to establish an embassy in Tel Aviv.
The delegation was assured that the Mozambican government was open to co-operating with Israel in several areas, as demonstrated by the visit to Israel the previous April of a multi-sectorial delegation for purposes of exchanging experiences in such areas as water management, agriculture and meteorology.
In addition to political lobbying, Beth-El has been active in organising prayer meetings, sports events (notably the Shalom Mozambique-Israel Cup, a regular football competition to attract the youth) and Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations.
Earlier this year, they were given the opportunity of presenting their objectives and beliefs to Gospel in Action Ministry, one of Mozambique’s largest and fastest growing churches. More than 2 000 people took part in the event, in which the Israeli flag was proudly displayed.
Of this ground-breaking gathering, the official Beth-El report comments: “We have no words to describe this Divine deed. We dream that one day Mozambique and Israel will become friends.”
