South Africa urged to downgrade embassy in Israel

Parliament in South Africa has been urged to downgrade its embassy in Israel in response to Tel Aviv’s heavy-handed response to Palestinian protesters in Gaza and its continued occupation.

The National Freedom Party (NFP) leader and parliamentarian, Ahmed Munzoor Shaik Emam, tabled a draft resolution calling for the unconditional downgrade of the South African Embassy in Tel Aviv.

South Africa’s ambassador to Israel, Sisa Ngombane, was recalled on Monday, after more than 60 Palestinian protesters were killed and 2,400 injured after Israeli occupation forces used life fire to disperse the demonstrators.

Urging for a change in policy, Emam said:

Countries, including South Africa, have been far too patient while people are killed and international law is ignored.

Addressing the media at the South African Parliament in Cape Town today, Emam said that while he does not expect “the official opposition of the Democratic Alliance to respond positively, he is confident that the motion will be successful”.

Read: South Africa withdraws its ambassador to Israel ‘with immediate effect’

The motion will be tabled in Parliament in the next sitting, Emam said.

Groups, including the Palestine Solidarity Alliance, South African Jews for a Free Palestine and the National Union of Metalworkers (NUMSA) demanded the government impose economic sanctions against Israel and cut all trade relations with the country following this week’s bloody massacre.