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The motion to close the embassy was adopted with 248 votes in favor and 91 against.
South Africa’s parliament has voted in favor of a motion calling for the closure of the Israeli embassy in Pretoria amid rising tensions between the two countries over the Israeli attack on Gaza.
This proposal is largely symbolic as its implementation will depend on President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government.
The motion calling for the closure of the embassy was adopted on Tuesday with 248 votes in favor and 91 against.
The motion, tabled by the left-wing opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was backed by the ruling African National Congress and opposed by members of the centrist, white-majority Democratic Alliance (DA), which is largely pro-Israel.
Ramaphosa has previously said his country believes Israel is committing war crimes and genocide in the besieged Gaza Strip, where thousands of Palestinians have died.
The vote comes after Israel announced it was recalling its ambassador Eli Belotserkowski from Pretoria “for consultations.”
Since 2018, this African country has not had an ambassador to Israel.
More to come…
