South Africa’s presidency said it is recalling all its diplomats from Tel Aviv in protest over Israel’s continued operations in the Gaza Strip.
“Cabinet is disappointed by the refusal of the Israeli government to respect international law and its continued undermining of the United Nations resolutions for the implementation of a ceasefire with impunity,” the presidency said in a statement.
“The South African government has decided to withdraw all its diplomats in Tel Aviv for consultation,” Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a minister in the president’s office, told a press briefing without providing further details.
South Africa hasn’t had an ambassador in Tel Aviv since 2019, following a decision to downgrade its diplomatic relations with Israel. The ruling African National Congress has long supported the Palestinians’ quest for their own state, linking it to its own anti-apartheid battle.
