Parliament of South Africa votes to downgrade ties with Israel
South Africa has voted to downgrade its embassy in Israel
0
0
South Africa’s parliament on Tuesday voted to downgrade the country’s embassy in Israel. This was due to the continuing human rights abuses and violations of international law perpetrated by the Israeli government against Palestinians.
Relations between the two countries have always been tense due to Israel’s orientation as an occupying force and an opppressor, in ways that mirror the apartheid regime of South Africa. The first democratically elected President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, declared that:
“The United Nations took a strong stand against apartheid; and over the years, an international consensus was built, which helped to bring an end to this iniquitous system…but we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians.”
In a statement on Twitter, the NFP thanked all political parties who had supported the resolution, including the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The ANC’s 55th National Conference Resolutions on International Relations made clear its support for Palestine, stating that “The ANC Reaffirms the downgrade of South Africa’s embassy in Israel”.
This move follows the expulsion of an unaccredited Israeli observer to the proceedings of the African Union.
Israel’s descent into being a pariah state
From the establishment of Israel, it looked to forge strong diplomatic relations with newly independent African nations to neutralize the hostility that it faced from its Arab neighbours. By the mid-70’s Israel hosted more African missions and embassies that many Western countries, including the United Kingdom. Counter-diplomacy by other Arab nations to mobilize against Israel was largely unsuccessful in this period, with newly independent African nations largely avoiding the cause of Palestinian people.
However, the 1967 Arab-Israeli war was the beginning of a distinct worsening in disposition by African countries towards Israel. Israel cultivated close diplomatic ties with the Apartheid South African government, which further worsened relations with the majority of African nations.
To this day Africa is largely monolithic in its support of the Palestinian cause in international fora, such as the United Nations.
