ANTI-APARTHEID ICON COMMENDS ANC

South African anti-apartheid icon Ronnie Kasrils has commended the ruling African National Congress (ANC) for backing opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters' call that the government close Israel's embassy in the capital of Pretoria.

South African parliamentarians are set to vote 21 November on a motion to close the Israeli embassy, in condemnation of Israel's onslaught of Palestinians since the 7 October escalation in the Gaza Strip. So far, Israel has killed 13,300 Palestinians, with about 5,600 being children.

Hours before Tuesday's vote, Tel Aviv recalled its ambassador to South Africa for 'consultation', adding a new twist to frosty relations between the two countries. In early November, South Africa withdrew its diplomatic staff from Israel in protest of the attacks on Gaza. Last week, the ANC announced it would support a parliamentary motion calling for the embassy's closure.

Kasrils, a South African Jew who was a commander in the ANC's paramilitary wing during the anti-apartheid struggle, and later served in various ministerial roles, commented last week that the motion was 'moral and practical.'