TMKsouth: The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has demarched the Israeli ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky.
This after Cabinet rebuked the public statements he made about South Africans’ support for Palestinians.
The department has now confirmed that it’s met with Belotserkovsky to convey its unhappiness with his conduct.
Director-General Zane Dangor said the ambassador was also informed about the withdrawal of South African diplomats stationed in Tel Aviv to assess government’s relationship with Israel amid the rising civilian casualties in Gaza.
This week, International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor said government took a dim view of the way Israeli Ambassador Eliav Belotserkovsky had been conducting himself as a guest in South Africa.
"There seems to be a strange practice among some ambassadors in South Africa that they can just say what they like and our ambassadors conduct themselves with good grace because that’s the directive from us."
On Friday, the department’s Dangor confirmed that Belotserkovsky had been called in for discussions.
Dangor said that government expressed its concern about the deaths of over 10,000 Palestinian civilians, including 4,300 children, as a result of Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks in Gaza.
Dangor said that he also told Belotserkovsky that South Africa condemned Hamas’ attacks on Israeli civilians last month and that these actions should be investigated for war crimes.
Similarly, South Africa also wants the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate the Israeli government for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
Dangor said that he reiterated South Africa’s position that the Middle East conflict could only be resolved through ending the occupation of Palestinian territories and by initiating immediate peace talks.
He added that Belotserkovsky was further reminded to conduct himself in line with the Vienna Conventions that accords heads of diplomatic missions certain privileges but also for him to recognise the decisions of a sovereign nation.
Dangor said that the ambassador was also asked to convey government’s concerns to Tel Aviv.
Bobloco: Soldiers barred some policemen from allegedly escorting a politician in a three-vehicle convoy during the election at a checkpoint at Agbadu Bunu village in Kaba/Bunu Local Government Area of Kogi State on Saturday.
The convoy, comprising three tinted Toyota Jeeps, was stopped alongside other vehicles.
According to report, when the convoy was stopped, the policemen alighted to meet the soldiers while their ‘principal’ was at the back of the Jeep.
All efforts to appeal to the soldiers by the policemen were rebuffed as one of the soldiers was shouting, “you are not on election duty. Go back!”
The soldier queried, ”Are they (policemen) supposed to be moving around during election? They should tell their principal to come down and explain to our oga .
“Today is not for ‘big man’ to be moving around. Let all politicians stay in their house to go and vote.”
It took them over 30 minutes before the soldiers allowed the policemen to pass.