Page "Jan Smuts" Paragraph 73

South African supporters of Theodor Herzl contacted Smuts in 1916.

Smuts, who supported the Balfour Declaration, met and became friends with Chaim Weizmann, the future President of Israel, in London.

In 1943 Weizmann wrote to Smuts, detailing a plan to develop Britain's African colonies to compete with the United States.

During his service as Premier, Smuts personally fundraised for multiple Zionist organisations.

His government granted de facto recognition to Israel on 24 May 1948 and de jure recognition on 14 May 1949 following the defeat of Smuts ' United Party by the Reunited National Party in the 26 May 1948 General Election, 12 days after David Ben Gurion declared Jewish Statehood and giving the newly formed nation the name Israel.

However, Smuts was deputy prime minister when the Hertzog government in 1937 passed the Aliens Act that was aimed at preventing Jewish immigration to South Africa.

The act was seen as a response to growing anti-Semitic sentiments among Afrikaners.