Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations has accused South Africa and Turkey of trying to create headlines rather than stabilising the situation in the region.
He was responding to questions by SABC News regarding Pretoria’s announcement to withdraw its envoy to Tel Aviv over Israel’s killing of protesters along its border with Gaza.
Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon slammed the decision by South Africa and Turkey to withdraw from Israel.
“First of all they are not protesters, they are mobs who carry explosives and sometimes you cannot differ between a terrorist and someone who is around them, Hamas are using those civilians and we know some of the casualties are terrorists and by the way we regret every casualty. When we saw those pictures we regret that but they are used by Hamas. Regarding SA and Turkey there are some countries that want to stabilize the region and we welcome that, others like to create headlines and we regret that.”
Meanwhile, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has also weighed in on the Gaza border massacre.
In a statement, the retired Clergy says he’s deeply distressed and broken by the massacre perpetrated by the State of Israel in Gaza on Monday.
Tutu goes on to say that he prays to God to open the eyes and hearts of all citizens of the Holy Land. He also called on political and religious leaders across the world to assist people in the Holy Land to recognise our common humanity and membership of God’s family.
The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has welcomed the withdrawal of South Africa’s ambassador to Israel, Sisa Ngombane.
International Relations and Cooperation withdrew Ngombane following the killing of over 50 Palestinians who were part of protests along the Gaza border since the start of the week.
The withdrawal of Ngombane also follows America’s relocation of its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which was marked by an official ceremony on Monday.
SA Jewish Board requests meeting with President Ramaphosa
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies has requested a meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa to discuss the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. This in the wake of South Africa’s decision to withdraw its ambassador to Israel following the killing of more than 50 Palestinians by Israeli forces during a protest along the Gaza border.
The protest for the return of occupied Palestinian land which takes place on the 15th of May annually was given impetus by the controversial opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem. The Jewish community in South Africa has lashed out at Pretoria for what it calls double standards. Zev Krengel is the vice president of the South African Jewish Board of Deputies.
“We are very upset with the stance that the South African government has taken because we see that as totally double standards. No other country has done that to the Jewish state. They have not done that with Syria where 500 000 civilian deaths, three chemical attacks on its own people. They have done nothing in Kenya, they have done nothing in the DRC, they have done nothing in Zimbabwe. So our view is that this is unbelievably double standards and we are very upset as the local Jewish community. We have requested a meeting with the presidency.”
