ANC’s Duarte calls for severing of diplomatic ties with Israel

At the ANC's picket against Israel, Jessie Duarte also called for the complete closure of Israel's embassy in Tshwane and South Africa's embassy in Tel Aviv.

Deputy secretary-general of the ANC Jessie Duarte walks towards the Israel embassy to hand over the memorandum to security. She, with other alliance partners, lead a pro-Palestinian picket the Israeli Embassy in Tshwane on 25 May 2021. Picture: Gallo Images/Alet Pretorius

ANC deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte said South Africans who sent their children to be conscripted by the Israeli Defence Force were “part of the problem” in the conflict between Israel and Palestinians.

Duarte, who led a picket at the Israel embassy in Pretoria to show solidarity Palestinians on Tuesday, said: “We cannot be friendly with people who are genocidal,” according to a tweet by journalist Govan Whittles.

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She added that the conflict wasn’t called a “genocide” because it “doesn’t suit” the World Trade Organisation.

Duarte also called for the complete closure of Israel’s embassy in Pretoria and South Africa’s embassy in Tel Aviv, after the status of the embassy there was downgraded following a resolution by the party at its 2017 Nasrec conference.

Eyewitness News also reported that Duarte had called for South Africans to boycott Israeli products.

Duarte was flanked by the SA Communist Party’s Solly Mapaila and Muhammed Desai from Africa4Palestine, a pro-Palestinian pressure group.

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Cosatu also joined the picket ahead of a “virtual engagement” on the topic later in the day.

Gauteng Premier David Makhura compared the situation to apartheid, and said the Palestinians were “stateless” and “a nation in search of nationhood”.

“They are experiencing apartheid aggression every day. We are out here because there is injustice and injustice anywhere threatens justice everywhere, as Martin Luther King would say,” he said.

Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire over the weekend following 11 days of violence, bombings and rocket attacks.

The picket was criticised on Twitter by Israel’s former ambassador to South Africa, Arthur Lenk, who said ANC leaders should care equally about vaccines, fighting corruption, job creation and education.