South Africa: Parliament votes to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel, shut embassy

South African lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favor of closing down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspending all diplomatic relations until a ceasefire is agreed in the country’s war with Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas in Gaza. 

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The day prior, Israel’s ambassador was recalled from his post for consultations after the vote had been announced.

The resolution is largely symbolic as it will be up to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government whether to implement it.

But Ramaphosa and senior foreign ministry officials have been vocally critical of Israel’s leadership during its devastating military campaign against Hamas in the densely populated Gaza Strip, calling on the International Criminal Court to investigate them for potential war crimes.

On Monday, the Israeli ambassador in Pretoria was recalled to Tel Aviv for consultations ahead of the vote, which on Tuesday was resoundingly adopted by a 248-91 margin.

The bulk of the vote in favor came from the ruling social-democratic African National Congress (ANC) and the opposition far-left (Marxist-Leninist) Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), with the latter being the one to initiate the motion.

The votes against came from MPs representing the center-to-right-wing parties: Democratic Alliance (liberal), the Inkatha Freedom Party (KwaZulu regionalists, conservative), Freedom Front Plus (Afrikaner minority), and the African Christian Democratic Party (conservative).

EFF brought forward the motion (later amended by ANC) on Thursday last week when the ANC pledged to support what has been a central diplomatic stance for South Africa since in 1994 Nelson Mandela became the country’s first president to be elected with the participation of the country’s Black majority after decades of White minority rule.

South Africa has backed the Palestinian cause for statehood in Israeli-controlled territories for decades, likening the plight of Palestinians to those of the Black majority during the repressive apartheid era, a comparison Israel vehemently refutes.

Ramaphosa joins Russian dictator, war criminal in calls for peace

During a BRICS meeting, South African President Ramaphosa did concede that “In its attacks on civilians by taking hostages, Hamas has also violated international law and must be held accountable for these actions,” but accused Israel of “collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force by Israel,” going so far as to compare it to genocide.

Following the brutal attack of Hamas terrorists on October 7, which resulted in the death of more than 1,200 deaths and the kidnapping of some 240 Israelis and foreign citizens to serve as hostages, Israel has embarked on a campaign to destroy Hamas, and aside from entering the Gaza Strip with ground forces, has relentlessly pounded Hamas targets, which the terrorists have deliberately constructed in, under, or around vital civilian infrastrucre.

“As South Africa, we call for, first, an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire. Second, the opening of humanitarian corridors, so that aid and other basic services such as food and medicines, can reach those in need. Third, all countries to exercise restraint and to refrain from fuelling this conflict and making it worse, including by seizing the supply of weapons to the parties,” Ramaphosa said.

BRICS comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. In August the grouping agreed to admit Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, and the United Arab Emirates from January, in a move aimed at accelerating its push to reshuffle a Western-dominated world order it sees as outdated.

Ramaphosa expressed the belief that “BRICS has a vital role and a voice in a widespread international effort to achieve a just and lasting peace,” echoing earlier statements made by fellow BRICS leader and wanted war criminal, Russian dictator Vladimir Putin.

Furthermore, on Monday, the South African government called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, with one minister ICC’s failure to do so would signal a “total failure” of global governance.

South Africa, which recognizes the authority of the ICC, had earlier this year requested that it not be required to arrest Putin, as it wanted the Kremlin despot to attend the August BRICS summit in Johannesburg, but the ICC refused, forcing Putin to participate in the summit online.