South Africa’s Ruling African National Congress Downgrades Embassy In Israel
(JTA) — South Africa’s ruling party, the African National Congress, announced that it will downgrade the country’s embassy in Israel to a liaison office.
The decision made late Wednesday night during the ANC’s national conference in Johannesburg came less than a day before the U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution rejecting any recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.
“In order to give our practical expression of support to the oppressed people of Palestine; the ANC has unanimously resolved to direct the SA government to immediately and unconditionally downgrade the South African Embassy in Israel to a Liaison Office,” the resolution read.
The South African government would have to vote to implement the policy, which is not guaranteed.
“We question the motives behind this discriminatory decision that would effectively prevent South Africa from playing any mediatory role in bringing about peace or dialogue between Israel and Palestine,” the South African Jewish Board of Deputies and the South African Zionist Federation said in a statement.
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
