Activists from the BringThemHomeNow campaign hold Israeli flags and pictures of hostages held by Palestinian militant group Hamas as they demonstrate in front of the South African parliament in Cape Town on Nov 17, 2023. (PHOTO / AFP)

CAPE TOWN - The South African parliament on Tuesday voted in favor of a motion to shut down the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspend all diplomatic relations with Israel until it agrees to a ceasefire in Gaza.

A total of 248 members of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, voted in favor of the non-binding motion, while 91 lawmakers opposed it.

A presidency spokesperson said President Cyril Ramaphosa "notes and appreciates" parliament's guidance on South Africa's diplomatic relations with Israel, particularly on the status of the embassy. "The president and cabinet are engaged over the matter, which remains the responsibility of the national executive," Vincent Magwenya said, reports Reuters from Cape Town.

The vote came after Israel recalled on Monday its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, "for consultations."

The motion was tabled by the opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters, and was backed by the ruling African National Congress.

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The parliament said the measures will be in place until Israel agrees to a ceasefire and participates in UN-facilitated negotiations.

The vote came after Israel recalled on Monday its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, "for consultations."

Also on Tuesday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa chaired a BRICS extraordinary virtual summit on the Palestinian-Israeli issue.

South Africa announced last week that it had referred Israel to the International Criminal Court for war crimes investigation. Its cabinet also called on the ICC to issue arrest warrants for all those involved, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Earlier this month, South Africa recalled all of its diplomats from its embassy in Israel.