It was fait accompli when the governing ANC introduced an amendment to the EFF’s motion to sever diplomatic ties with Israel on Tuesday, indicating that when voting comes, the majority party will throw its numbers behind the pro-Palestinian move.
The amendment bolstered a resolution urging the South African government to pull out its representatives in Tel Aviv and shut down the Israeli embassy in the country.
A total of 248 MPs voted in favour of the motion against the 91 MPs mainly from the DA, ACDP and IFP.
On the Israeli side, the feeling was mutual, though, as their government also opted to pull its diplomatic representation out of South Africa.
The move came after the South African government last week recalled its last remaining diplomats from Tel Aviv.
As soon as the debate kicked off in parliament on Tuesday, ANC chief whip Pammy Majodina sprang up to propose an amendment to the EFF’s nine-point motion.
Majodina proposed that the government “close down the Israeli embassy in South Africa until a ceasefire is agreed to by Israel and that Israel commits to binding UN-facilitated negotiations, whose outcome must be a just, sustainable, and lasting peace”.
House chairperson Cedric Frolick approved the amendment amid grumbling from the IFP and FF+ benches that members should have been afforded more time to consider the proposed changes to the motion.
But EFF president Julius Malema dismissed the suggestion, saying that no rule prescribed that amendments should be circulated.
EFF leader lauds ANC
Malema said the EFF agreed to the amendment, and he lauded the ANC for joining forces with his party when human rights are at stake.
“The amendment has met the requirement. That is the beginning and the end. We support it and applaud the ANC for its maturity in this matter.
“It does matter that we politically disagree, but when it comes to humanity, we must protect the human rights of everyone all over the world,” he said.
But FF+ leader Corne Mulder cautioned: “If there was ever a time to keep negotiations and discussions open, it is now. Israel and Palestine are currently negotiating.
“But the SA government, with its position, has decided SA wants to opt out.
“The motion that you want to adopt will have consequences for the standing of SA in the international world. We will vote against this motion. I think you are making a big mistake.”
A DA MP echoed Mulder, saying the motion was counterintuitive to the ANC’s stated aim of a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
“By withdrawing diplomatic representation from Israel and demarching or expelling the Israeli embassy in SA, we are severing diplomatic ties, and therefore we have no genuine stake in playing a meaningful role in negotiating a peaceful resolution.”
The DA MP said 25,000 SA citizens in Israel would lose access to consular services. “The ANC is scoring an own goal. A free Palestine and a secure Israel can exist in peace.”
The ACDP’s Steven Swart said SA was losing the opportunity to be among honest brokers in negotiations.
“It is not in our best interest to pursue this motion. We need to be part of that solution as peacemakers. Never before has SA broken diplomatic ties with a country.”
Negotiations the only option
The IFP’s Narend Singh said peaceful negotiations between Israel and Palestine were the only option.
“We still support a two-state solution. We should not play ourselves out of this game as SA”.
But the NFP disagreed. Party MP Shaik Emam said additional pressure on the Israeli government would deliver peaceful solutions.
“For 75 years, negotiations have been ongoing, and nothing has changed. We are now putting pressure on them and saying, ‘let’s have a ceasefire’.
“If you have not achieved it for 75 years, are we going to achieve it now because the DA, ACDP, and FF+ say so?
“It is all about the money they get; they have sold their souls. How many more people must die before we say we must do something?”
Al Jama-ah leader Ganief Hendricks said the EFF motion, as amended by the ANC, was the most revolutionary motion ever discussed in the 6th Parliament.
“The amendment should have gone further; there is no place for Israel in SA, and any trace of Israel must be wiped off our land in SA.
“We do not want any memory of Israel in SA anymore.”
Majodina said it was not surprising that the DA, ACDP, and FF+ would not support the motion and the amendment.
“But we know how it feels when children and women are killed. We are victims, and we are not ashamed to support Palestine fully.”
