South African diplomat returns home to pro-Palestine crowds

Ebrahim Rasool, South Africa’s former ambassador to the US, has returned home to a hero’s welcome, with crowds waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Free Palestine” as he arrived in Cape Town.

“The bombing [in Gaza] has continued, the shooting has continued, and if South Africa was not at the [ICJ], Israel would not be exposed, and the Palestinians would have no hope,” Rasool said, addressing supporters at the airport.

“We cannot sacrifice the Palestinians … but we will also not give up on our relationship with the United States. We must fight for it, but we must keep our dignity.”

Rasool was previously declared persona non grata by the Trump administration. His return comes as US President Donald Trump has cut all funding to South Africa, a move widely seen as retaliation for Pretoria’s case at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), where it has accused Israel of genocide in Gaza.