Afro Middle East Center research institute member Na’eem Jeenah says that the feeling now is that Israel has taken SA’s efforts for granted, that Israel has in fact exploited those efforts in order to fulfil its own agenda.
. Experts are uncertain about what kind of lasting impact the decision will have for South African-Israeli relations.
The embassy, which would be downgraded to a liaison office, “will have no political mandate, no trade mandate and no development cooperation mandate. It will not be responsible for trade and commercial activities,” Sisulu stated. However, consular services, such as visa issuing, would remain in place.
According to Jeenah, South Africa had simply had enough. “The feeling now is that Israel has taken South Africa’s efforts for granted, that Israel has in fact exploited those efforts in order to fulfil its own agenda — strengthen trade links, etc. — while not [being] willing to accept any [mediation] role by South Africa.”
While expressing his concern, Benji Shulman from the pro-Israeli South Africa Israel Forum is convinced that South Africa cannot fully sever ties with Israel. “From our perspective this is at best a cosmetic change,” he says. “It certainly doesn’t assist in creating peace, it doesn’t assist in helping South Africa’s trade balance.”
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