South Africa has expressed its position on the Israeli-led bombardment of Gaza by not only calling their actions “genocide” but also recalling its ambassador and all members of the diplomatic mission to Israel.
“The South African government has decided to withdraw all its diplomats in Tel Aviv for consultation,” said minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.
The minister further stated that the South African government would take drastic action against the Israeli ambassador to their country, saying that his opinion about South Africa’s position on the conflict was unacceptable.
“Disparaging remarks of the Israeli ambassador to South Africa about those who are opposing the atrocities and genocide of the Israeli government” and that the department of international relations has been instructed to “take the necessary measures within the diplomatic channels and protocols to deal with (his) conduct,” the minister said.
According to Ntshavheni, the continued stay of the Israeli ambassador in South Africa was no longer tenable.
On October 7, Hamas launched a surprising attack on Israel, killing over 1,400 men, women, and children.
According to data made available to the media by the Palestinian Health Office, a ministry run by Hamas, about 10,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel began the bombardment of Gaza.
In the meantime, pro-Palestine protesters gathered at the U.S. Consulate in Johannesburg, and the Israeli embassies in both Pretoria and Cape Town have called on the South African government to expel the Israeli ambassador.
However, Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, the serving Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, said that the South African government has resolved to recall officials in Tel Aviv in order to brief the country on the situation in Gaza and the general concerns about the conflict.
“We need to have this engagement with our officials because we are extremely concerned at the continued killing of children and innocent civilians in the Palestinian territory, and we believe the nature of the response by Israel has become one of collective punishment,” Mandisa Pandor said.
The South African ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), which has close ties to Palestine, has made its position known. It has consistently expressed its desire to see an immediate cease-fire in Gaza and the creation of a safe passage for food and medication where they are needed.
South Africa has joined Bolivia, Chile, Honduras, Colombia, and other pro-Palestine countries to recall their ambassadors from Israel as a demonstration of their dissatisfaction with the events in Gaza.
After a week of heavy fighting, the Israeli troops have encircled Gaza City, dividing the city into North and South Gaza while waiting for a 48-hour order to match into the city.
