Legislators in South Africa decided on Tuesday to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and halt diplomatic ties until a ceasefire in Israel's conflict with Hamas, an Islamist Palestinian organization, is reached in Gaza.
The resolution is primarily symbolic since President Cyril Ramaphosa's administration will decide whether to implement it. According to a spokesperson for the president, Ramaphosa "notes and appreciates" the parliament's recommendations regarding South Africa's diplomatic relations with Israel, specifically regarding the embassy's status.
"The president and cabinet are engaged over the matter, which remains the responsibility of the national executive," stated Vincent Magwenya.
After the governing African National Congress promised to support what has been a key diplomatic position for South Africa since Nelson Mandela became the nation's first democratically elected president in 1994, the opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party introduced the parliamentary resolution last week.
Did you read this?
The EFF draft resolution calling for the closure of the embassy and diplomatic suspension was amended by the chief whip of the African National Congress (ANC), Pemmy Majodina, to add the following sentence: "... until a ceasefire is agreed to by Israel and Israel commits to binding United Nations-facilitated negotiations whose outcome must be a just, sustainable and lasting peace."
For decades, South Africa has supported Palestinian statehood in Israeli-occupied territories, drawing comparisons between the suffering of Palestinians and the Black majority during the oppressive apartheid era—a claim Israel vehemently disputes.
The motion was put forth by the EFF on Thursday in support of the Palestinian people in response to the Israeli invasion and bombardment of Gaza, which Hamas rules. The attack was sparked by the terrorist organization's deadly raid into Israel on October 7.
