SOUTH AFRICA PARLIAMENT VOTES TO BOOT ISRAEL

In a historic move, parliamentarians in South Africa's National Assembly overwhelmingly voted yesterday in favor of a motion to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and cut diplomatic ties with Israel, in condemnation of Tel Aviv's onslaught of the Gaza Strip.

The vote result was 248-91, with no abstentions. Opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) introduced the motion, which several other political parties supported. That included the ruling African National Congress (ANC), whose numbers ensured the motion sailed through the house.

After it was amended at the ANC's insistence to include a precondition for reinstating diplomatic ties, the motion stated, "The House—calls upon the government to close the Israeli Embassy in South Africa and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until a ceasefire is agreed to by Israel and Israel commits to binding United Nations-facilitated negotiations whose outcome must be a just, sustainable and lasting peace.”

More conservative parties, such as the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP), the Democratic Alliance (DA), the Freedom Front Plus and the Inkatha Freedom Party, opposed the motion. The ACDP and the DA said the move may prevent South Africa from playing a meaningful role in peace negotiations.

However, the motion is not legally binding. It is now up to President Cyril Ramaphosa's government to implement.

In early November, South Africa pulled its ambassador out of Tel Aviv to condemn the Israeli bombardment, which has so far killed at least 14,100 Palestinians, including about 5,350 children.

During a virtual meeting of the BRICS economic alliance held on the same day, Ramaphosa accused Tel Aviv of carrying out a genocide against Palestinians.