The South African government said on Sunday it was dissociating itself from a decision by the reigning Miss South Africa to take part in the annual Miss Universe in Israel, AFP reports.
The decision followed growing calls for the reigning Miss South Africa, Lalela Mswane, to boycott the pageant in Israel over Israel’s alleged “atrocities against Palestine”.
The pageant is slated to take place in the Israeli resort city of Eilat on December 12.
"It has proven difficult to persuade the Miss SA pageant organizers to reconsider their decision to partake in the Miss Universe event," the arts and culture ministry said in a statement quoted by AFP, adding that the government therefore "withdraws its support" following the organizers’ "intransigence".
"The atrocities committed by Israel against Palestinians are well documented and government, as the legitimate representative of the people of South Africa, cannot in good conscience associate itself with such," the statement continued.
The ruling ANC party, meanwhile, urged the organizers "to hear and listen to the overwhelming call for the Miss South Africa team to boycott the upcoming apartheid Israel hosted Miss Universe".
Anti-Israel sentiments remain prevalent in South Africa, where the government has frequently accused Israel of applying a policy of “apartheid” towards Palestinian Arabs.
In 2019, the country announced plans to downgrade its embassy in Tel Aviv.
A year earlier, South Africa withdrew its ambassador to Israel in protest against the deadly violence along the Israel-Gaza border.
The decision came after the Hamas terrorist organization led violent and mass terrorist acts in protest against the inauguration of the new United States embassy in Jerusalem. Hamas later openly admitted that most of those who were killed in those violent riots were members of the group.
Several years ago, the ANC party proposed new rules regarding dual citizenship meant to stop South African citizens from joining the IDF.
Former ANC leader Jacob Zuma once urged South Africans not to visit Israel in order to show solidarity with “the people of Palestine”.