APA-Pretoria (South Africa) The South African government has ordered the immediate withdrawal of all its diplomats from Israel while it considers the fate of Tel Aviv’s envoy in Pretoria, Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, has announced.
Addressing journalists in Pretoria, the minister said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet had decided to recall all South African envoys from Tel Aviv for consultations due to the escalation conflict between Israel and Palestine – especially in the Gaza Strip.
Ntshavheni said humanitarian corridors for the people of Palestine remained closed for those wishing to escape the airstrikes from Israeli planes, with dire consequences for children, women and innocent civilians.
“Cabinet is disappointed by the refusal of the Israeli government to respect international law, and its continued undermining of the UN resolutions for the implementation of a ceasefire, with impunity,” she said.
According to her, the “genocidal airstrikes” by Israel on the people of Palestine continued to wreak havoc on the population, with a rising death toll that includes men, women and children put at over 10,000 dead in the month-long current conflict, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health’s daily health bulletin.
“In the last two days, the world has sat helplessly and watched as intensifying airstrikes on Gaza have destroyed schools, health facilities, ambulances and civilian infrastructure — and supposedly safe roads travelling to the south of Gaza,” the minister said.
Due to these acts, the cabinet had decided to recall all South African diplomats from Tel Aviv for consultations, she said.
Ntshavheni was, however, clear that the recall for consultation of South Africa’s diplomats was “a serious signal” that the country takes a very dim view of the situation permeating in that part of the world.
She revealed the cabinet had also instructed the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) to take action against Israeli ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, for his “continuing disparaging remarks” about those opposing “the atrocities and genocide of Israeli government”.
“The position of the ambassador of Israel in South Africa is becoming very untenable,” Ntshavheni said.
She added: “Cabinet has decided to instruct DIRCO to take necessary measures within the diplomatic channels and protocols to deal with the conduct of the ambassador of Israel to South Africa.”
The current conflict was triggered a month ago when Gaza-based Hamas militants, harbouring deep anger over five decades of Israeli occupation of Palestine, attacked southern Israel and killed over 1,400 Israelis and took over 200 hostages into Gaza in the surprise operation.
Israel responded by bombarding the Gaza Strip, with support from the US which has supplied Tel Aviv with weapons.
NM/jn/APA