Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) leader Julius Malema has reiterated his party’s stance against the actions of Israel in Palestine. He decried sports, cultural and economic ties with the apartheid state, saying a government led by his party would close the embassy in Pretoria.
Addressing the media in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Malema said an EFF government would give the Israeli embassy marching orders. This, he said, would last so long as Israeli aggression on Palestinians persisted.
“There won’t be an Israeli embassy under the EFF, until human rights are respected in Palestine. We are beneficiaries of international solidarity. We will not allow any of our people to go and participate in sporting activities or festivals or anything of that sort in Israel that has stolen and continues to kill and oppress the people of Palestine,” he said.
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Embassy
The Israeli embassy in Pretoria has for long been a talking point among politicians in the build-up to elections, however. A symbolic vote by Parliament in March passed a draft resolution to downgrade the embassy to a liaison office.
Malema said the embassy needed to be removed entirely if the proclaimed solidarity with Palestine was to have any effect.
“We are not downsizing. We are going to withdraw our embassy from Israel and we are going to chase away the Israeli embassy in South Africa. If we can’t do that, our solidarity with the Palestinians is lip service. We need action,” he insisted.
But, he said, South African ties with Tel Aviv should be ceased “not only with regard to the embassy and cultural activities”. He added, “Including economic activities, we ought to cut ties with Israel. Anything that is produced in Israel should not find its way to South Africa”.
Meanwhile, in the latest instance of Israeli aggression, a 20-year old Palestinian was shot dead in the occupied West Bank.
