Parliament will this afternoon vote on a motion to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria. [Picture: Reuters]
A hybrid plenary of the National Assembly (NA) will this afternoon vote on a motion to shut the doors of the Israeli embassy. The terrorist apartheid regime in Tel Aviv meanwhile recalled its ambassador to Pretoria ahead of the vote.
The motion, put forward by Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, was debated in a virtual mini plenary last week.
The ruling African National Congress (ANC) backed the motion, while the Democratic Alliance (DA), African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) and others argued against severing diplomatic ties with the apartheid occupier.
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Vote in Parliament
During a heated debate on Thursday, Malema called for the closure of the embassy and a heightened boycott and sanctions campaign. He also urged the right of return for Palestinian refugees who had fled to neighbouring countries during the Nakba.
“We call on the Ramaphosa ANC government to shut down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and end all diplomatic relations with that brutal apartheid Israeli regime. We call on all the world to isolate Israel by boycott, disinvestment and sanctions until they end their military occupation and allow Palestinian refugees in surrounding countries like Lebanon and Syria, the right of return,” he said.
Parties that rejected such a move, however, argued it would place South Africa at a disadvantage in any possible peace process.
“Any decision to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and recall our ambassador in Tel Aviv will diminish our country’s ability to demand accountability in that region (Middle East) and to influence a swift and peaceful resolution to this war,” said DA member of parliament Emma Powell.
While the South African lawmakers prepare to vote on the resolution at 14:00 in Cape Town, a Hamas official has said the group was approaching a truce deal with Israel. This, said Izzat al-Rishq, would include a ceasefire and the transfer of wounded Gazans to other countries for treatment.
