South African riot police used a water cannon on Monday against pro-Palestinian activists trying to prevent Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres from delivering a speech in Johannesburg, witnesses said.
About 100 supporters of the local Palestine Solidarity Committee were doused with water by police trying to move them from the front of the venue, a college in central Johannesburg.
Mounted police were deployed at the scene and a police helicopter flew overhead, Reuters journalists reported.
"Down with South African Zionists killing Palestinians," one of the protest banners read.
Palestinian activists say some young South African Jews who are dual Israeli nationals have served with Israeli security forces fighting the 23-month Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation.
Peres was due to address members of the Jewish community at the college at 6pm local time (1600 GMT) but had not arrived by the time the protests began. He is Israel's senior delegate at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.