South Africa has taken a strong stance against the killing of scores of Palestinians by Israeli armed forces by pulling their ambassador out of Israel.
The country joins Turkey and a mostly Muslim-majority lead group of countries that have been condemning the use of live ammunition on Palestinian protesters who were demonstrating against the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem.
Experts and pro-Palestine commentators have reacted strongly to the South African decision, with many claiming that South Africa is listening to its conscience as a nation that has had its own historic struggle with apartheid.
The protests turned into one of the most violent days in the recent history of the Israel-Palestine conflict, with dozens of people being killed and scores receiving serious injury.
“Given the indiscriminate [nature] 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,” Department of International Relations spokesperson Ndivhuwo Mabaya said.
It was not clear on Monday evening, however, if ambassador Sisa Ngombane would eventually return to Tel Aviv, since the ANC had in December already decided to downgrade South Africa’s embassy to a liaison office.
Some South African officials expressed the hope that the recall of Ngombane would be the first concrete move towards the expected downgrade. However, a Department of International Relations and Co-operation official pointed out that Ngombane had been recalled to Pretoria “until further notice”. This raised the possibility that he might return.
“South Africa maintains further that the violence in the Gaza Strip will stand in the way of rebuilding Palestinian institutions and infrastructure.”
“The victims were taking part in a peaceful protest against the provocative inauguration of the US embassy in Jerusalem.
“This latest attack has resulted in scores of other Palestinian citizens reported injured, and the wanton destruction of property.
“Given the indiscriminate and grave manner 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 on previous occasions, 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.”
Meanwhile, South Africa’s important Jewish minority has reacted harshly to the recall, rejecting it as a “gross double standard.”
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies issued a statement together with the South African Zionist Federation in response to the recall.
“The South African government’s decision to withdraw the South African ambassador from Israel is outrageous and displays gross double-standards against the Jewish state,” the organizations said. “While we, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the SA Zionist Federation, regret the loss of life of civilians, we recognize that Israel as a sovereign state has the right to defend its own border and its own citizens. Israel is facing a real danger with the incitement by Hamas of its own population to storm the security fence and attack Israeli civilians.”