South Africa recalls diplomats from Israel, to assess relationship with country

South Africa on Monday (Nov 6) announced that it would recall its diplomats from Israel in a bid to express concerns over the upsurge of violence in the West Bank.

"The South African government has decided to withdraw all its diplomats in Tel Aviv for consultation," Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, a minister in the president's office, told a press briefing without providing further details.

The South African government also said that the position of the Israeli ambassador to the country was becoming "more and more untenable", condemning the diplomat for making "disparaging remarks" about people denouncing Israel.

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South Africa has been an advocate for peace in the Middle East and has also strongly supported the Palestinian cause, linking it to its struggle against apartheid.

Recalling of diplomats, normal practice:Foreign Minister

Dubbing the return of diplomats a 'normal practice', Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor stated that the recall was to determine "whether there is any potential for you to be of assistance and whether the continued relationship is actually able to be sustained in all terms."

"We are... extremely concerned at the continued killing of children and innocent civilians in the Palestinian territories and we believe the nature of the response by Israel has become one of collective punishment," Pandor told a press conference on Monday, as she hosted her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba.

"We felt it important that we do signal the concern of South Africa while continuing to call for a comprehensive cessation (of hostilities)."

Earlier, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni had accused Israeli ambassador Eliav Belotsercovsky, of making derogatory remarks about South Africans, including members of government, "who are speaking against the holocaust being committed by the Israeli government".

She said that the foreign ministry had been instructed "to convey the South African government's displeasure with the ambassador" through diplomatic channels.

"We felt it important that we should call the ambassador in," added Pandor.

"There seems to be a strange practice among some ambassadors in South Africa, that they can just say what they like... I don't know if it's because it's an African country and they disrespect us but it's something that we should not tolerate."

(With inputs from agencies)