WATCH | Protests outside parliament over Palestinian deaths
Hundreds of people marched on Parliament in Cape Town and the US embassy in Sandton on Tuesday May 15 2018 to protest against a deadly attack by Israeli troops against Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza on Monday.
Image: ALON SKUY
The protests in Gaza on Monday were over the deeply controversial opening of a US embassy in Jerusalem.
As a result of the violent suppression of those protests, the South African government has withdrawn its ambassador to Israel.
“The South African government condemns in the strongest terms possible the latest act of violent aggression carried out by Israeli armed forces along the Gaza border‚ which has led to the deaths of over 40 civilians‚” the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said in a statement on Monday night.
“Given the indiscriminate and grave manner of the latest Israeli attack‚ the South African government has taken a decision to recall Ambassador Sisa Ngombane with immediate effect until further notice‚” the Dirco statement said.
The protesters in South Africa want government to also expel Israel's ambassador.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu has added his voice to the chorus of condemnation of the deadly attack by Israeli forces
“I am deeply distressed and brokenhearted by the massacre perpetrated by the State of Israel in Gaza yesterday.
“I pray to God to open the eyes and hearts of all citizens of the Holy Land – and of political and religious leaders in the region and across the world – to assist them to recognise our common humanity and membership of God’s family. People who recognise the humanity in others do not author or perpetrate massacres‚” the archbishop said in a statement on Tuesday.
Image: ALON SKUY
Image: Esa Alexander/Sunday Times
Image: ALON SKUY
Image: ALON SKUY