BETWEEN SOLIDARITY AND CONDEMNATION

Amidst a complex spectrum of opinions, South Africa recalls its diplomatic corps from Israel in a stern response to the Gaza ground invasion, as debates surrounding apartheid analogies and proposed solutions intensify.

The recent flare-up of armed conflict between Israel and Hamas has left many in the world aghast, with demonstrations occurring around the globe calling for peace in the latest iteration of a conflict that has lasted almost a century, with casualties in the previous few weeks surpassing 11,000. South Africans find themselves in a unique position, with the government bearing strong historical ties to the Palestinian struggle, and Israel having been one of the few governments to hold ties with the apartheid South African government.

In a striking display of diplomatic disapproval, South Africa recalled its diplomatic corps from Israel in November. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Naledi Pandor, lambasted the ground invasion of Gaza, referring to the killing of Palestinian children as a “war crime”. This action reflects South Africa’s deep-rooted historical solidarity with the Palestinian cause, reminiscent of the support received from Palestinian resistance movements during South Africa’s own fight against apartheid.

Protests and demonstrations erupted in support of Palestinians across every major city in South Africa once Israel commenced retaliatory strikes, and more recently, a ground operation in the Gaza Strip, with many South Africans both having familial connections in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as a strong sense of historical solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

“There’s real support from the South African people, from the public,” says Roshan Dadoo, spokesperson for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement in South Africa, to