SACP salutes government for downgrading the status of the SA Embassy in Israel

8 April 2019

The SACP salutes the South African government for downgrading the status of the South African Embassy in Israel to that of a mere liaison office. The decision was officially communicated during the #IsraeliApartheidWeek. Although the decision was long overdue, we appreciate the message sent by our ANC-led government to the rest of the world that South Africa cannot have normal relations with an apartheid state.

The SACP strongly condemns the statement of intent made a few days ago by the apartheid Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that if re-elected he will annex the whole of the West Bank and never recognise the state of Palestine. The SACP supports the liberation of the Palestinian people and their fundamental right to self-determination and democratic national sovereignty. The Party has consistently supported the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders with a viable Palestinian state.  

The SACP commends fellow South Africans, young and old, who participated in this year’s worldwide #IsraeliApartheidWeek.  The campaign ended yesterday, Sunday 7 April 2019. The SACP supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against apartheid Israel. BDS South Africa co-ordinated the #IsraeliApartheidWeek and continues to co-ordinate other programmes in solidarity with the people of Palestine whose land is occupied by the apartheid Israel which continues to take more Palestinian land.

Issued by Alex Mohubetswane Mashilo, National Spokesperson & Head of Communications, SACP, 8 April 2019