Cape Town - Israeli ambassador to South Africa Arthur Lenk should leave the country, the ANC Youth League in the Western Cape said on Saturday.
“We call upon ambassador Arthur Lenk to pack his bags and prepare for travel to avoid unnecessary trauma,” provincial convenor Muhammad Khalid Sayed said in a statement.
“We will support our leaders while they take necessary action and recall our ambassador to Israel (Sisa Ngombane) and expel Israeli's ambassador to South Africa.”
The ANCYL said it welcomed the ANC's parliamentary caucus statement that Ngombane be recalled, and that Lenk be removed from the country with immediate effect.
Lenk was summoned to the department of international relations this week and told to inform his government about South Africa's stance on the Israel-Palestine unrest.
Department spokesman Clayson Monyela said Lenk met with deputy international relations iminister Nomaindia Mfeketo, and was asked to explain the Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
Monyela said Mfeketo expressed South Africa's “grave concern” over the escalating violence between Israel and Palestinian territories.
Mfeketo demanded the immediate halt to the construction and expansion of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories by the Israeli government.
On Wednesday, The New Age newspaper reported that South Africa was due to recall Ngombane, who had also been summoned to the department.
Unnamed sources said Ngombane was seen in meetings at the department in Pretoria on Tuesday.
Monyela said no decision had yet been taken on whether Ngombane would be recalled.
The Citizen newspaper reported that Ngombane was back in the county for safety reasons. - Sapa