Parliament passed an amended draft motion of the EFF calling on the government to close the Israeli embassy in South Africa and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel.
In its amendment, the ANC called for a ceasefire to be agreed between Israel and Palestine and that they commit to binding UN-facilitated negotiations for “a just, sustainable and lasting peace”.
The ANC and EFF massed 248 votes to ram through the motion with votes from the ATM, PAC and Al Jama-ah.
However, the DA, IFP, Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and ACDP garnered 91 votes in opposing the motion.
“The motion as amended is accordingly agreed to,” said House chairperson Cedric Frolick.
The passing of the amended motion took place against the backdrop of Israel recalling its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, to Jerusalem for consultations.
Frolick said he had studied the amended motion.
“It does not extend the scope of the resolution,” he said, adding that the motion would be shared with the political parties so that they could familiarise themselves with the amendment to the original draft motion.
ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina said they were not surprised by the DA, ACDP and FF+ opposing the motion.
“We, the people of South Africa, know what it means when you are killed, when women are killed and when children are killed. We are victims of that. We are not ashamed to support Palestine fully,” Majodina said.
She also said there should be no rush to enter negotiations when there was no ceasefire.
EFF leader Julius Malema said they agreed with the amendment to the motion.
“We applaud the ANC for its maturity on this matter,” Malema said.
DA MP Emma Powell said with the passing of the motion, more than 25 000 South Africans in Israel will not have consular services.
She also said the embassy in Palestine would not be functional and that South Africans living there would have to go to Egypt for consular services.
“The DA does not support the amended motion to the floor. The ANC has scored its own goal by having made the proposed amendment,” Powell said.
FF+ chief whip Corné Mulder said the EFF was again leading and the ANC following.
The red berets previously moved a motion to expropriate land without compensation and it was supported by the ANC two years ago.
Mulder said the ANC-led government would no longer take part in the peace negotiating effort in the Middle East due to the amended motion.
“You decided to take this decision and it will have consequences for South Africa and the role we play in the international world,” Mulder added.
ACDP chief whip Steve Swart said Hamas and Israel were closer to peace thanks to efforts facilitated by third parties and South Africa could play a role in the peace efforts.
“We need to be part of the solution,” Swart said, adding that not one country has broken ties with Israel except Bolivia.
He noted that the motion flew in the face of the stance of the government in the Russian-Ukraine conflict where it spoke against isolation of any of the parties and called for a sustainable solution.
IFP chief whip Narend Singh said they supported a two-state solution.
Singh called on South Africa to not play itself outside of the peace effort between the two countries.
He also said the amended motion would spoil the efforts by President Cyril Ramaphosa to lead peace talks.
NFP MP Munzoor Shaik Emam said the Israeli embassy should have been closed immediately as negotiations have not achieved intended purposes.
“The only way is to put pressure on them to come to the negotiations,” Shaik Emam said.
Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks said the amended motion was the most revolutionary debate in the sixth Parliament.
Frolick clarified that Parliament as a legislative body could call for closure of the Israeli embassy and cutting of diplomatic ties, but such a move was not persuasive rather than instructive as it was the case with legislation.
Cape Times