South Africa Withdraws Its Ambassador To Israel 'With Immediate Effect'

South Africa Withdraws Its Ambassador To Israel 'With Immediate Effect'

17 May 2018

Anadolu Agencies

The South African government today condemned in the strongest terms possible the latest act of violent aggression carried out by the Israeli armed forces along the Gaza border, which has led to the deaths of 52 peaceful protesters against the provocative inauguration of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

A statement issued by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said, "This latest attack has resulted in scores of other Palestinian citizens reported injured, and the wanton destruction of property."

It added, "Given the indiscriminate and gravity of the latest Israeli attack, the South African government has taken a decision to recall Ambassador Sisa Ngombane with immediate effect until further notice.

As we have stated previous, South Africa reiterates its view that the Israeli Defence Force must withdraw from the Gaza Strip and bring to an end the violent and destructive incursions into Palestinian territories. South Africa maintains further that the violence in the Gaza Strip will stand in the way of rebuilding Palestinian institutions and infrastructure."

The government of South Africa further noted that routine actions of the Israeli armed forces present an obstacle to a permanent resolution to the conflict.

The statement concluded with a call from Pretoria "for an independent inquiry into the killings, with a view to holding to account those who are responsible."

54 ambassadors boycott Israeli American Embassy celebration

54 out of 86 ambassadors to Israel, boycotted a ceremony held by the Israeli Foreign Ministry yesterday evening in Jerusalem on the eve of Washington's transfer of its embassy to the occupied city.

The Haaretz newspaper reported that most EU member states did not participate in the ceremony because they have a firm policy towards the transfer of the US Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It said that the ambassadors of Russia, Egypt, India, Japan and Mexico also did not attend the celebration.

According to Haaretz, 32 ambassadors participated in the ceremony, including only four from EU countries: Austria, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic, in addition to five European countries which are not members of the union: Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine and Georgia.

The ambassadors of 12 African countries attended the ceremony, namely Angola, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Kenya, South Sudan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Zambia and Rwanda.

From Central America, ambassadors of five states participated in the celebration: Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama and Honduras, and from South America, only Paraguay and Peru participated. Four Asian countries attended the celebration: Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The US embassy was actually transferred from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Monday, during a ceremony in its new headquarters. A US delegation arrived in Israel earlier Sunday, led by the daughter of US President Donald Trump, Ivanka, her husband Jared Kushner and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, to attend the embassy's opening ceremony. On 6 December, 2017, Trump announced Jerusalem as the capital of the occupation entity, which sparked the Arab and Muslim world anger.

Fatah hails Turkey, S. Africa for Israel envoy recall

Palestinian group Fatah has hailed Turkey and South Africa for recalling ambassadors from Israel over the death of dozens of Palestinians by Israeli gunfire on the border of the besieged Gaza Strip.

"This is a strong message of support for the Palestinian people and rejection of Israeli crimes and practices against our people," Jibril Al-Rajoub, secretary of Fatah's Central Committee, said in a statement.

At least 59 Palestinians were martyred and hundreds more injured by Israeli forces along the Gaza border yesterday amid protests marking the Nakba anniversary and the relocation of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to occupied Jerusalem.

Turkey condemned the Israeli violence against Palestinian protestors and recalled its ambassadors from Israel and the US for consultation. South Africa also summoned its envoy from Israel over the Israeli violence.

Yesterday's protests were part of a seven-week long civil action which is due to culminate today, Nakba Day which marks 70 years since nearly a million Palestinians were forced out of their homes to make way for the creation of the state of Israel.

Since the rallies began on March 30, more than 90 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds injured by cross-border Israeli gunfire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Last week, the Israeli government said the ongoing border protests constituted a "state of war" in which international humanitarian law did not apply.

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