28 July 2022Johannesburg, South Africa — South Africa's chief rabbi has condemned Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor for saying that Israel is"implementing apartheid" in its treatment of Palestinians. Pandor made the comparison to South Africa's past oppressive system of racial segregation during a meeting of the Palestinian Heads of Mission in Africa, held in Pretoria.
"For many South Africans, the narrative of the Palestinian people's struggle does evoke experiences of our own history of racial segregation and oppression," she said. For his part, Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki thanked South Africa for its support, also drawing parallels with the former apartheid government.
Contacted by VOA, the Israeli embassy in Pretoria said it would get back with a comment on Pandor's remarks, but no statement has been made by either the embassy or the Foreign Ministry in Israel.