Israeli Ambassador to South Africa Eliav Belotsercovsky was summoned to the South African Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he was told about the inadmissibility of his recent statements in connection with the situation in the Gaza Strip and the foreign policy of South Africa, the foreign ministry said in a statement.
"On 9 November 2023, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) demarched the Ambassador of the State of Israel to South Africa, HE Mr E Belotsercovsky, to discuss the ambassador’s recent unfortunate conduct relating to the unfolding, tragic Israel-Palestine war," the statement read.
Foreign Ministry Director-General Zane Dangor expressed South Africa's serious concern about the attacks on the Gaza Strip, as a result of which more than 10,500 civilians, including over 4,300 children, were killed during Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks in the region, the ministry said.
According to the statement, Dangor added that South Africa denounced Hamas attacks on civilians and emphasized that "these actions should be investigated for war crimes." He also noted that Israel's response was illegal, and highlighted that South Africa wants the International Criminal Court (ICC) "to investigate the actions of the Israeli leadership "for charges of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide."
Moreover, Dangor reiterated the position of the African state, underlined that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "can only be solved through ending the occupation and through immediate talks towards a just and lasting peace for Palestinians and Israelis," the ministry noted.
"Ambassador Eliav Belotsercovsky is called upon to conduct himself in line with the Vienna Conventions, which accord heads of diplomatic missions certain privileges and responsibilities, key amongst which is to recognise the sovereign decisions of the host nation" the foreign ministry stressed in a statement.
On November 6, South Africa's Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced that the country's government had decided to recall all South African diplomats from Israel's city of Tel Aviv for consultations.
"The position of the ambassador of Israel to South Africa is becoming very untenable," she added, noting: "[The] Cabinet has decided to instruct Dirco [Department of International Relations and Cooperation] to take necessary measures within diplomatic channels and protocols to deal with the conduct of the ambassador of Israel to South Africa."
On November 8, South African Foreign Minister, Naledi Pandor revealed a seven-point plan to resolve the situation in the Gaza Strip during a hearing in the national Parliament. It includes, among other things, the immediate introduction of a ceasefire, the opening of humanitarian corridors and the dispatch of a United Nations rapid deployment force to Palestine to protect civilians.
Israel declared war on the Palestinian militant organization Hamas after it attacked the country on October 7. A new round of violence in the long-running conflict between Palestine and Israel has already claimed thousands of lives.