South Africa says it will not be reinstating envoy recalled during Gaza protests

8 July 2018, 2:12 pm

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South Africa is not reinstating its ambassador to Israel until further notice, the country’s foreign minister announces.

“I’m very glad that I recalled the ambassador, because we could have not been in the situation that we are at now. It’s been a violation that has been going on for a long time, and we can’t be looking away,” International Relations Minister Lindiwe Sisulu says.

“We are holding back on our ambassador until we are certain that we are making headway. For us this is an unacceptable situation, completely unacceptable.”

Ambassador Sisa Ngombane had been recalled to Pretoria in May in protest of Israeli troops killing Palestinian protesters who tried to breach the Gaza border fence.

— Raphael Ahren