Israel has recalled its ambassador in South Africa “for consultations”, Israel’s foreign ministry has said.
It follows the “latest South African statements” on Israel, ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat said on X without giving specifics.
South Africa has been highly critical of Israel’s military operation in Gaza.
On Monday it urged the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue an arrest warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by mid-December.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said failure to do so would signal a “total failure” of global governance.
The recall of Israeli Ambassador Eliav Belotserkovsky came just before South Africa began hosting a virtual summit of the Brics group of nations, which includes China and Russia, on the Israel-Hamas war.
The meeting, chaired by South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa, hopes to draw up a common response to the conflict.
In his opening remarks, Mr Ramaphosa denounced what he called the collective punishment of Palestinian civilians.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin accused the US of blocking international efforts to bring peace to the Middle East.
Also, South Africa’s parliament has been debating a motion recommending to the government the closure of the Israeli embassy and the suspension of all diplomatic relations until Israel agrees to a ceasefire and commits to negotiations facilitated by the UN.
Israel launched a major military campaign in Gaza in response to a cross-border attack by hundreds of Hamas gunmen on 7 October, in which at least 1,200 people were killed and about 240 others taken hostage.
Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry says at least 13,000 people have been killed in the territory since Israel launched its retaliatory campaign.
The UN Security Council has called for “urgent and extended humanitarian pauses” for “a sufficient number of days” to allow UN agencies to safely enter the sealed-off territory.
South Africa, along with Bangladesh, Bolivia, Comoros and Djibouti, has submitted a referral to the ICC to investigate whether war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Gaza.
Israel has said that it is acting in self-defence and its aim is to eliminate Hamas and prevent another attack like the one last month.
South Africa recalled its diplomats from Israel earlier this month. There has been no South African ambassador in Israel for five years.