South Africa to Recall Its Ambassador to Israel Over Raid on Aid Flotilla
South Africa recalled its ambassador to Israel to protest a raid by Israeli naval forces on an aid shipment to the Gaza Strip in which nine people were killed.
“This recent Israeli aggression of attacking the aid flotilla severely impacts on finding a lasting solution to the problems of the region,” Deputy Foreign Minister Ebrahim Ebrahim said in an e-mailed statement today. South Africa’s embassy in Tel Aviv will remain open, he said.
The May 31 raid on the flotilla, which had attempted to breach an Israeli blockade of Gaza, has led to criticism of Israel and calls for it to lift restrictions on the flow of goods into the territory. The U.S. has said Israel and the Palestinians should accelerate peace talks.
“This siege, which has brought untold hardships to the ordinary people of Gaza and made their lives nightmarish, is unconscionable and unsustainable,” Ebrahim said.
South Africa yesterday announced it would issue Israel with a “demarche,” its strongest form of protest, over the incident.
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the blockade was “counter-productive, unsustainable and wrong,” and that it should end “immediately.” Israel must account for the events, he told reporters in New York. The UN Security Council has called for an investigation.
Turkey, which is home to many of the activists on the flotilla, recalled its ambassador to Israel and is considering military and economic sanctions against Israel, Hurriyet newspaper reported yesterday.
Protests
Some 3,500 protestors in Cape Town today called on the South Africa to sever ties with Israel, E-tv, which is based in the city, reported. A South African journalist who was aboard the targeted flotilla will return home tomorrow, the country’s Foreign Ministry said.
Israel was one of few countries to maintain relations with South Africa’s white minority government before 1994.
Israel said it felt “regret and disappointment” at South Africa’s decision. “Those who criticize Israel would be better advised to turn their criticism against the terror-supporting rioters from the flotilla, who have nothing to do with humaneness,” Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said in an e-mailed statement today.
To contact the reporter on this story: Franz Wild in Johannesburg at fwild@bloomberg.net
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