South Africa condemns Israeli diplomat’s remarks on Gaza killings
On November 6, the South African government declared that the Israeli ambassador to the country Eliav Belotsercovsky’s remarks on the killings in Gaza were shameful, reports BBC News
The government also noted that it would withdraw all diplomats from Israel as well as calling on them to condemn the brutalities in the Palestinian territory after the Israeli ambassador made “disparaging remarks” about those who have called out Israel for their ongoing mistreatment of Palestinians.
Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a minister in the president’s office, said that the Foreign Ministry has been asked to, “convey the South African government displeasure with the ambassador”.
It comes as no surprise that South Africans are staunch supporters of the Palestinian cause given their experience of apartheid, which after a lot of work by anti-racist activists ended in the early 1990s a few years prior to Nelson Mandela becoming the first black President of the country.
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In the past, the United Nations and human rights organisations worldwide, including the Israeli rights group B’tselem, have called the Middle Eastern country an apartheid state.
Since Hamas’ brutal assault on Israel’s south from the besieged Gaza Strip on October 7, over 10,500 have been slaughtered in Gaza and over 120 have been killed in the West Bank as the conflict in the region has reached boiling point.
South Africa has called for a ceasefire in Gaza and during a recent meeting with the Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, The country’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor said, “We are extremely concerned at the continued killing of children and innocent civilians in the Palestinian territories and we believe the nature of response by Israel has become one of collective punishment,”.
Over the past month, various demonstrations have taken place in multiple cities as the South African people continue to emphasise their support for Palestine.
BBC NEWS
