DA Shadow Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Emma Louise Powell noted that the African National Congress’s (ANC’s) decision to withdraw diplomats from Tel Aviv, and the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF’s) proposed expulsion of the Israeli Ambassador from South Africa, will diminish the country’s ability to demand accountability in the Gaza region, and to influence a swift and peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict.

Powell was speaking during a debate in Parliament on the removal of the Israeli embassy in South Africa, where she said the “political opportunism” by the ANC and the EFF was indicative of their inherent moral bankruptcy.

“Having failed to build a prosperous South Africa, these parties must now look for any opportunity to deepen divisions from which they can score cheap political points. This is why, when the ANC and their proxies look to Gaza, they do not see human tragedy, rather, they see political opportunity,” she explained.

The humanitarian aid group Gift of the Givers said its head Ahmed Abbasi was killed along with his brother in Gaza, while returning from morning prayers on Thursday.

The DA extended its condolences to the Abbasi family, and reiterated its call for civilians to be shielded from “collective punishment”, and for international humanitarian law and the Protocols of the Geneva Convention to be upheld.

The DA called for an immediate investigation into the killing of Abbasi, and that those responsible be brought to justice.

“It is for this very reason that it is vital for South Africa to retain diplomatic channels with both Israel and the Palestinian Authority,” said Powell.

“The ANC are not peace brokers, they are agent provocateurs. They do not care about international law or human rights, they care only for their own political survival - at whatever cost,” alleged Powell.

She added that if the ANC were genuinely interested in peace, human rights, or the rule of law, they would have spoken out against the events currently unfolding in Sudan, where more than 10 000 civilians have been killed amidst some of the most brutal ethnic cleansing the world has witnessed in a generation.

“They would have stood up for the 7-million Sudanese people – 3-million of them children - who have fled into neighbouring countries seeking refuge from the violence, and now comprise the largest displaced population of children anywhere in the world. But, despite the gravity of this tragedy unfolding on the African continent, the ANC has not only remained entirely silent, but has actively worked against advancing peace in the region,” she said.

Powell highlighted that the ANC was only interested in inflaming divisions to score political points.

Powell said that ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has forgotten that it was “under his party’s watch that more than 27 000 of the country’s citizens were murdered last year, and on his watch that the national rail network collapsed, and unemployment soared to 42%”.