Durban- The Israeli Embassy has refuted claims by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement in South Africa that its doors were closed to all operations.
Ayelet Black deputy ambassador to South Africa, said it was not true that they closed their doors.
“The Embassy was on strike due to a decision made by the Israeli Ministry of Finance, as happens in many democracies,” she said. Black said they had returned to work after the one day strike last week to ensure that work in cooperation between Israel and South Africa continued.
According to the Jerusalem Post the reason for the closure of the embassy was that embassies around the world had protested a decision made by Israel’s Finance Ministry to break agreements that were made about the taxation of employees.
The Finance Ministry had told the publication that diplomats were required to pay taxes like other Israeli employees.
BDS-SA had last week Friday issued a statement that they celebrated the closure of Israel’s embassies, not only in South Africa, but around the world.
BDS spokesperson Tisetso Magama, said he considered the closure of embassies as Israel being at war with itself.
“We are also amused and find it ironic that Israel shifted funds from its running of embassies and other offices to try and stop the BDS boycott of Israel, but now lacks resources to sustain those embassies. The closing of the Israeli embassy in South Africa, until the regime ends its oppression of Palestinians, is one of BDS South Africa's goals - this recent closure, even if temporary, is a step in the right direction,” he said.
Black, however said that the closure was only for one day and they were already busy connecting towns to water and doing outreach in townships to increase opportunities for entrepreneurs, she said.
Daily News