Israel is routinely accused of apartheid, especially by global activists and international institutions. But for Dr. Shmuel Legesse, a Black Ethiopian Israeli Jew, the charge collapses the moment you actually look at Israel’s diverse society.
“There's no apartheid in Israel,” he said on the ILTV Podcast, adding that he is ready to confront critics directly. “I can fully say to the United Nations or to our South African brothers … anyone who wants educational debate on this kind of topic … we can argue with each other and learn from one another.”
Legesse argues that one of the clearest refutations of the apartheid narrative is the Ethiopian community itself: a deeply rooted, proudly Jewish population that has integrated into every layer of Israeli life. Yet, he admits, their contributions are often overlooked.
“You don't see a lot of Ethiopians as leaders or speakers,” he explained. “Maybe my Ethiopian brothers … prepare the tables, but nobody sees them.”
Their service to the state is unmistakable. As Legesse noted, Ethiopian Israelis were disproportionately represented among the fallen on October 7 and in the war that followed.
“The general outcome from that community was higher number of fallen soldiers … and that shows the commitment … without any doubt," Legesse says.
His message to young Ethiopian Israelis is one of empowerment: “What you do will define who you are… You are Jewish, you are Israeli, you are Ethiopian. Live it, go out, do the right thing.”
Watch the full conversation: