JOHANNESBURG – Israel has recalled its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, again to Jerusalem “for consultations” ahead of a parliamentary vote within the African nation to make a decision the destiny of the Israeli embassy on Tuesday.
The two international locations’ diplomatic family members have just lately witnessed a upward thrust in tensions over the Israeli struggle on Gaza. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa prior to now stated his nation believes Israel is committing struggle crimes and genocide in Gaza, the place hundreds of Palestinians had been killed.
“Following the latest South African statements, the Ambassador of Israel to Pretoria has been recalled to Jerusalem for consultations,” Israel’s ministry of foreign affairs posted late Monday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This came ahead of a vote in South Africa’s parliament on a motion to shut down the Israeli embassy and cut all ties with Israel until a cease-fire is implemented in Gaza.
The motion tabled by the leftist opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters has the backing of the ruling African National Congress and other smaller parties.
South Africa announced last week that it had referred what it called Israel’s “genocide” in Gaza to the International Criminal Court for an investigation, with its cabinet calling on the ICC Monday to issue an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Given that much of the global community is witnessing the commission of these crimes in real time, including statements of genocidal intent by many Israeli leaders, we expect that warrants of arrest for these leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, should be issued shortly,” South African minister within the presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, instructed journalists Monday.
Earlier this month, South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel and withdrew all its diplomatic body of workers from the rustic.
The war may also be the topic of a digital assembly of BRICS international locations on Tuesday, which will probably be attended via leaders of the bloc, together with Ramaphosa, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The financial bloc used to be shaped via Brazil, Russia, India and China in 2009 and added South Africa in 2010. Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, Argentina, Egypt and Ethiopia also are set to input BRICS.
The Israel-Hamas struggle erupted after the Palestinian militant crew’s marvel assaults on Israel on Oct.7, which killed about 1,200 other folks. Israel’s retaliatory moves on Gaza have to this point killed greater than 12,700 people, in accordance to Palestinian well being government.