South Africa aims to moderate its stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, recognizing the potential impact on its trade relationship with the US under the new Trump administration. The country's ambassador to the US acknowledges the need to recalibrate its approach, especially concerning its vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel's actions.
South Africa is preparing to tone down its rhetoric on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, anticipating that President-elect Donald Trump might not appreciate its anti-Western foreign policy stances. The new South African ambassador to the U.S., Ebrahim Rasool, told South Africa’s Daily Maverick that the country had to consider its trade interests and therefore had to scale back some of its rhetoric on issues like the war in Gaza.
Rasool said he was aware that being the SA ambassador to the US would be much more difficult with a president who is “probably populism perfected”. He said he understood the need to “completely recalibrate”. While South Africa would continue its case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of “genocide”, Rasool said, there was a need to bear the possible consequences in mind: “We have taken it to the point in which others are accusing us of overreaching. And therefore we will stick by the case, but let us now trust our legal team, trust the evidence that we have placed in front of the judges of the ICJ, trust the judges of the ICJ to come to a sustainable, just solution – but that we need to put away the megaphone now.” South Africa is seeking a renewal of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), under which it enjoys privileged access to U.S. markets. But its foreign policy stances — including support for Russia’s war against Ukraine, and backing for various African tyrants — have often clashed with American interests and values. Both Democrats and Republicans have suggested that AGOA could be in trouble the next time it comes up for renewal before the end of the 2025 fiscal year in September next year. Rasool said that he would seek to convince Trump, and Americans, that AGOA is in their interests
SOUTH AFRICA ISRAEL-PALESTINE US FOREIGN POLICY AGOA TRADE RELATIONS
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