Editing Foreign relations of Israel (section)

=== South Africa ===
{{Main|Israel–South Africa relations}}

[[File:AyalonMatjila.jpg|thumb|[[Danny Ayalon]] with South African Foreign Affairs DG Matjila]]
The [[Union of South Africa]] was one of only four [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] nations to vote in favour of the [[1947 UN partition resolution]], which led to the establishment of the State of Israel. South Africa was one of the first states to recognize Israel; diplomatic relations between Israel and South Africa were established in 1948. After the [[Sharpeville massacre]] of 1960, Israel became a harsh critic of [[South Africa under apartheid|apartheid]], leading to a break in its relations with [[Pretoria]]. After 1967, Israel and South Africa became strategic partners again, and this lasted until 1987 when Israel joined the West in forcefully opposing apartheid.

Since the end of apartheid, South Africa's new government has been cold toward Israel and critical of Israel's policies towards Palestinians but has nevertheless ignored calls from pro-Palestinian South African groups to sever relations between the two countries.

As a result of the [[Gaza war]], the [[African National Congress]] passed a motion calling on the government to close its embassy in Tel Aviv in November 2023.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-africas-anc-backs-motion-close-israeli-embassy-2023-11-16/ |title=S Africa:South Africa´s ANC backs motion to close embassy Israeli embassy  |date=16 November 2023 |newspaper=[[Reuters]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117235211/https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/south-africas-anc-backs-motion-close-israeli-embassy-2023-11-16/ |archive-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> The South African [[Cabinet of South Africa|governmental cabinet]] also called on the [[International Criminal Court]] to issue an arrest warrant for [[Prime Minister of Israel|Israeli Prime Minister]] [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] and recalled the country's ambassador to Israel and withdrew all the country's diplomatic staff from Israel.<ref name="magome2023">{{cite web|last=Magome|first=Mogomotsi|url=https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-ambassador-recall-gaza-bb30d780d0d33f2220dc08bf032a5738|title=South African lawmakers vote in favor of closing Israel's embassy and cutting diplomatic ties|website=[[Associated Press]]|date=November 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121135931/https://apnews.com/article/south-africa-israel-ambassador-recall-gaza-bb30d780d0d33f2220dc08bf032a5738|archive-date=November 21, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>