In a decisive move, a majority of South African lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favor of a motion that calls for the closure of the Israeli embassy and the severing of diplomatic ties until Israel agrees to a cease-fire in Gaza. The motion, supported by the ruling African National Congress party, coincided with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s condemnation of Israel during a meeting with world leaders, where he accused the nation of committing genocide in Gaza through its military offensive against the Hamas rulers.
Proposed by the opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters, the motion garnered support from 248 members of parliament, while 91 opposed it. Subsequently, Israel’s foreign ministry announced the recall of its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, to Jerusalem for consultations, marking a further escalation in diplomatic tensions. South Africa had already intensified its stance against Israel, referring to what it deemed “genocide” in Gaza to the International Criminal Court, urging the ICC to issue an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This development follows South Africa’s recent recall of its ambassador to Israel and the withdrawal of all diplomatic staff earlier this month.
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