S African lawmakers vote to suspend diplomatic ties with Israel, shut embassy

CAPE TOWN: South African lawmakers voted on Tuesday in favour of closing down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspending all diplomatic relations until a ceasefire is agreed in its war with Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza.

The resolution is largely symbolic as it will be up to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government whether to implement it; a presidency spokesperson said Ramaphosa “notes and appreciates” parliament’s guidance on South Africa’s diplomatic relations with Israel, particularly on the status of the embassy.

“The president and cabinet are engaged over the matter, which remains the responsibility of the national executive,” Vincent Magwenya said.

Ramaphosa and senior foreign ministry officials have been vocally critical of Israel’s leadership during its devastating military campaign against Hamas in the densely populated Gaza Strip, calling on the International Criminal Court to investigate them for potential war crimes. The Israeli embassy did not immediately respond to a request for comment.