HOME Affairs minister Malusi Gigaba says he will take proposals to impose more stringent visa requirements on Israelis traveling to South Africa, to Cabinet, for consideration. This follows a brief meeting with Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel (BDS) at his Parliamentary office in Cape Town on Tuesday.
On Monday, 58 Palestinians were shot dead, and many more were injured, by Israeli snipers in Gaza. The Palestinian demonstrators were raising their disapproval of the US’s decision to move its embassy office from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The massacre has led to widespread condemnations and South Africa recalling its ambassador from Israel just hours after the killings.
In a joint media briefing with BDS representatives after the meeting on Tuesday afternoon, the Minster said he will take the concerns raised to Cabinet.
Read also: Gaza deaths spark widespread condemnation of Israel
“Obviously, one would need to consult with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that whatever response we give is a well-considered collective response of Cabinet that will ensure that the South African response is not weakened with it being associated with individual actions or responses but it is viewed collectively as a Cabinet response.
“We will take forward the issues that are raised in relation to a possible review, either all together or to some limited extent, the visa requirements in relation to the state of Israel and also the issue of people holding dual citizenship who fight in wars that South Africa has regarded as unjust,” the Minister said.
While South Africans, under current laws that were enacted during apartheid, need to apply for a visa when travelling to Israel, Israeli visitors can come into South Africa without a visa.
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