South Africa will find alternative markets worldwide to replace its dealings with Israel following the country taking Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) earlier this month over its reaction to the Hamas-led attacks on it in October last year.
International Relations Minister Naledi Pandor was responding to the tension between South Africa and Israel following South Africa’s denouncing of Israel for its military operations against Hamas.
She said at a media briefing this week that the country’s national interest must not make the country a partner in atrocities.
“Let’s look at other trade partners, let’s look at East Asia for an example and use it as a platform for expanding trade.”
South Africa is a major supplier of coal to Israel, accounting for 53% of the Middle East country’s needs in 2022. It also supplied a quarter of the nation’s diamond requirements in that year.
According to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade, South Africa imported products worth $237.23 million from Israel in 2022.
