Parliament votes to sever ties with Israel and close Israeli embassy in SA

The National Assembly has approved a motion to sever diplomatic ties with Israel and close the Israeli Embassy in South Africa.

This comes after the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) tabled the motion last week.

ANC supported EFF’s motion

The motion was voted by 248 votes for motion and 91 against it.

It was supported by the African National Congress (ANC), the National Freedom Party (NFP), Al-Jamah, the African Transformation Movement (ATM), the Pan-Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC).

The 91 MPs from the DA, IFP, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) opposed the motion.

The red berets welcomed the results of the vote in Parliament.

“We welcome the resolution in light of the continued annexation of Palestinian land, killing of women and children in Gaza, construction of settler-houses on Palestinian land, land dispossession and bombing of hospitals in Gaza, all by apartheid-Israel.”

ALSO READ: WATCH: ‘Opposing Israel’s brutal system is not anti-Semitic’ – Malema

ANC MP Pemmy Majodina confirmed the governing party supported the EFF’s motion.

“Let us be clear, this is not a religious war. This is not the Israel from the Bible, people are being killed in this Israel, this is Benjamin Netanyahu’s Israel. This is not the Israel of Jesus Christ.”

Motion

The motion was brought by the EFF after Israel launched a brutal counter-offensive in Gaza following the attacks by Hamas on 7 October. Israel has come under criticism for its bombing of hospitals and schools, with many women and children becoming casualties.

The motion was debated in Parliament last week. The NFP, Al Jamah-ah and the Good party backed the red berets’ motion while the DA, IFP, ACDP and FF+ rejected it.

Israeli ambassador recalled

On Monday, Israel’s Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, for consultations following what it referred to as the “latest statements from South Africa”.

The move to recall Belotserkovsky comes after he was démarched by government over his remarks about the Israel-Palestine conflict.

ALSO READ: Israel recalls ambassador from SA ‘for consultations

Arrest warrant

Meanwhile, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said government is expecting the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue a warrant of arrest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu soon.

Vusi Madonsela, South Africa’s ambassador in the Hague, Netherlands, personally delivered the referral to the prosecutor’s (OTP) office at the ICC.

The ongoing conflict in Gaza has, according to the Hamas-led health ministry, killed 12 000 people. Thousands are injured are millions have been displaced.