FANTASTIC: Israeli Embassy in South Africa closes (and no one notices) – My Comments

31 October 2019 | http://bit.ly/2WsyQVe

The independent South African human rights and Palestine solidarity NGO, BDS South Africa, joins NEHAWU and fellow South Africans in celebrating the closure of Israeli diplomatic missions across the world, particularly the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria.

According to Israel’s Haaretz Newspaper, the Israeli Foreign Ministry earlier this year faced a $100 million budget shortfall, which led to several key national events being cancelled among other financial problems. The Israeli newspaper also reported that Israel’s foreign ministry had suffered severe budget cuts in recent years mainly as a result of Israel’s Ministry of Strategic Affairs channeling funds into the battle against the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Last year the Israeli government dedicated approximately $72 million towards trying to stop the BDS movement. The writing is on the wall: apartheid is expensive and Israel must end it immediately!

It is apparent that the primary purpose of Israel’s foreign missions is to promote propaganda for the Israeli regime with no benefit to host countries – this is perhaps evident in no one even having noticed the Israeli Embassy’s closure! The Israeli embassy is proving, on its own, that it is indeed insignificant and irrelevant. It is clear that there is no economic or political benefit in having relations with an apartheid state.

BDS SA considers the closure of Israeli embassies and consulates as evidence that Israel is at war with itself. We are also amused and find it ironic that Israel shifted funds from its running of embassies and other offices to try and stop the BDS boycott of Israel, but now lacks resources to sustain those embassies. The closing of the Israeli embassy in South Africa, until the regime ends its oppression of Palestinians, is one of BDS South Africa’s goals – this recent closure, even if temporary, is a step in the right direction.