South Africa’s Parliament has voted in favor of a motion calling for the closure of Israel’s embassy in Pretoria and the suspension of diplomatic ties as tensions soar between the two countries over the Israeli assault on Gaza.
The motion calling for the closure of the embassy and suspension of all diplomatic relations until a ceasefire is reached passed on Tuesday with 248 votes in favor and 91 votes against.
The action was introduced by the left-wing opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters backed by the ruling African National Congress and opposed by members of the centrist white-majority largely pro-Israel Democratic Alliance.
South African President Matamela Ramaphosa earlier announced that his country had filed a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in order to investigate “war crimes” committed by the Israeli occupation state in the Gaza Strip.
Ramaphosa said that his country believes that Israel is committing war crimes and genocide in the Gaza Strip in which thousands of Palestinians were killed in addition to the destruction of hospitals and public infrastructure.
