Desk Report,
Pressure is growing on the South African government to sever ties with Israel
Anger is growing in the besieged Gaza Strip over the Israeli massacre. In such a situation, pressure is increasing on the South African government to cut all ties with the country and expel Israeli diplomats.
Pressure is growing on the South African government to sever ties with Israel
Several rights activists told Middle East Eye that they have intensified their movement to cut ties with Israel and expel diplomats.
More than 200,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Gaza Strip since Israel began its war. A famine has now begun across the Strip. In this situation, rights activists see maintaining relations with Israel as “akin to supporting the war”. Author and rights activist Zukiswa Wanner said that many in South Africa thought that the country would bring a quick end to the war by filing a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in late 2023. But Israel has continued its war in Gaza with the full support of Western countries.
“We do not have the power to personally pressure them to stop this genocide,” Wanner said. “But as citizens, we can at least demand from our government that South Africa cannot have normal relations with an abnormal and genocidal government.”
Only Bolivia and Belize have severed diplomatic relations with Israel since the war in Gaza began.
Bahrain, Chad, Jordan and Turkey—all Muslim-majority countries—have withdrawn their ambassadors at various times but still maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
South Africa has not had an Israeli ambassador since 2018. However, rights activists there say that South Africa should take strong action against Israel.
Although a resolution to sever ties with Israel was passed by the South African parliament in November 2023, the government of President Cyril Ramaphosa has not yet implemented it. There is widespread anger among the people of the country about this. Wanner said, “Some countries have cut ties with Israel without any fuss, which we could not do.”
This week, an organization called the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) in South Africa created a petition. It calls for the closure of the Israeli embassy. The petition has been signed by several thousand people.
The petition says, “You have filed a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice. In other words, you have admitted that Israel is committing genocide. But how can we maintain diplomatic and economic relations with a genocidal state?”
Small protests have taken place across South Africa against the Israeli war in Gaza and the brutal occupation of the West Bank.
Rights activists gathered in Durban, South Africa, this week. Because, there are reports that a ship is heading to Israel via South Africa. The ship contains goods that could be used against the Palestinians in the Gaza war. Local rights activists also learned through the South African BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) coalition that the ship, which left the Indian city of Chennai, is carrying ‘dangerous goods’. India has previously sent drones, explosives and parts to Israel. They are committed to preventing Durban from becoming another Gaza.
After receiving the news, hundreds of people became active online and demanded that the police and public representatives search the ship. Later, the police said that nothing that could be used to violate human rights was found on the ship. However, the locals praised the response and caution.
