South Africa may take 'direct action' against Israel

South Africa is looking into taking stricter measures against Israel to express its “displeasure” with the “continuous racist Israeli practices” against Palestinians, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor has warned.

During a parliamentary meeting, Pandor reiterated that the South African ruling party had issued orders to reduce the operation level at the country’s embassy in Israel.

On 15 May 2018 South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel following a bloody crackdown on Palestinian protesters by occupation forces that left at least 55 dead and 2,700 injured.

“We are studying the latest human rights reports related to the Israeli occupation authorities,” Pandor said. “We hope that the Ministerial Council takes extra direct action against the documented racist practices in the occupied Palestinian territories,” she added.

“It is a fact that we have diplomatic relations with Israel, but this does not mean that we will allow its integration into the African Union,” she said, noting that her country had strongly opposed to granting Israel observer status in the African Union.

READ: After the African Union revoked Israeli’s observer status, it is time for more work

She stated that her country’s opposition stems from the Union’s Constitution and Charter which rejects colonialism, racism and occupation of other’s lands.

Pandor noted that at least 24 African Union member states share this stance.

Concluding her statement, Pandor stressed that everyone knows the history of her country, the resistance and values which oppose racism and colonialism, noting that this makes it the voice of the oppressed and marginalised everywhere.