South Africa lawmakers vote to suspend Israel ties, close embassy

[eester]

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/11/21/south-african-parliament-votes-for-motion-calling-to-close-israeli-embassy

The motion calling for the closure of the embassy passed with 248 votes in favour and 91 votes against.

This is fantastic news. I wish more countries would do the same.

The likely receive a lot of funding and investment from the other middle eastern countries and are being put under pressure.

@tescocreditcard I realise political international pressure is likely to be part of the reason, but also having experienced their own apartheid I can only assume they recognise the same when they see it and genuinely want it to stop.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20231121-south-africa-accuses-israel-of-war-crimes-and-genocide

The BRICS group of nations Tuesday called for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce in Gaza during an extraordinary summit where chair South Africa accused Israel of war crimes and "genocide" in the Palestinian territory.

Well, I read some news reports today that stated that South Arica was trying to back out of UN conventions so that they could return migrants to South Africa back to their country of origin. So maybe South Africa is not quite the brilliant country you thought it was.

You're very kind and you're assuming that other people are very kind too.

I'm suspicious, and think SA couldn't care less about the war, just about their own economic prospects.

@tescocreditcard well, even if that is so (debatable) it is still excellent news!

"The collective punishment of Palestinian civilians through the unlawful use of force by Israel is a war crime. The deliberate denial of medicine, fuel, food and water to the residents of Gaza is tantamount to genocide," said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

https://time.com/6338391/israel-south-africa-relations-gaza/

From the article:

South African diplomats have long identified likeness between life for Palestinians under occupation and those who lived under apartheid, the legal system for racial separation in South Africa from 1948 until 1994.

In July 2022, over a year before Hamas’ attacks on Oct. 7, South African diplomat Nalendi Pandor said, “For many South Africans, the narrative of the Palestinian people's struggle does evoke experiences of our own history of racial segregation and oppression."
^^

Well done South Africa!
🇿🇦 ❤️ 🇵🇸

Some interesting comments over on Reddit

https://www.reddit.com/r/Palestine/comments/180od14/breaking_south_africas_parliament_has_passed_a/

Proud to be South African today 🇿🇦🇵🇸 we absolutely could not have had any other stance towards Israel other than this. Hopefully other countries will follow

South Africans destroyed Apartheid once, and I sure hope they will help destroying it again.

There's a reason why Israel is trying to make BDS illegal around the world. Boycotting works, and it's the only thing that broke apartheid in South Africa.

This is big. Objectively bigger than some debilitated-ass, nearby Arab country or even honorable, but rather small Ireland making a full stance. South Africa is not only big, but the country exercises a lot of influence over the entire African continent. The protracted people's war is paying off, and I urge all comrades to keep up the pressure without losing heart, even amidst all the awfulness, despair, and death everywhere.

South Africa has been through its own horrific Apartheid and know too well what it means for one group of people to be marginalised and denied basic human rights. This is most definitely not an economic decision. If you understand South Africa, it cultural and it's tragic history, you will know this is not the case. I applaud Cyril (for once) and the rest South African government for taking the stance that the rest of the world should.

Mandela knew the score about Palestine...

Sorry to hear that. But at least it is no longer an apartheid regime!

Have they closed the Iranian Embassy?

Amazing! I wish our own government could do the same. They need to start listening to the people!

Good on them for even acknowledging the injustice, which is more than most governments are doing.

South Africa is a country that has always been very vocal about their support for Palestine.
Not just now but for many many years

Famous words of Nelson Mandela
We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians

BREAKING: South Africa’s Parliament votes to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria, and chants of “Free Palestine!” immediately break out among delegates in the hall and on Zoom.

One of my father's uncles was put under house arrest for speaking up against the apartheid in South Africa
It affected people from other ethnic minorities too but they never backed down
Stand up for justice and speak up even if your voice shakes

@Parkingt111 yes. talking to a close friend who protested apartheid I understand this was all too common. Some of the tactics used against apartheid protesters remind me of what we are seeing right now. Smearing, intimidation, threats and worse.

@eester definitely. That's why it's so triggering every time it's reported another journalist has been murdered.
The systematic killing of journalists in this war is definitely not a coincidence

Pity they didn't find it in themselves to condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine.