Israel, South Africa At Loggerheads; Expel Each Other's Diplomats, Give Them 72 Hours To Leave

Cape Town: South Africa on Friday declared Israel's deputy ambassador persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours. Israel subsequently ordered a senior South African official to leave the country in retaliation. South Africa's foreign ministry said it was expelling Ariel Seidman, the chargé d'affaires, for repeatedly insulting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in official Israeli social media posts.

What has South Africa said?

The ministry also said that South Africa had been deliberately kept in the dark about visits by Israeli officials, calling it an "unacceptable violation of diplomatic norms and procedures." Seidman is the most senior Israeli diplomat in South Africa after Israel recalled its ambassador in 2023.

Why have South Africa-Israel relations soured?

Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Israel were already strained, as South Africa, a long-time supporter of the Palestinian people, had accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza at the United Nations' top court.

How has Israel reacted?

Hours later, Israel's foreign ministry said on its X (formerly Twitter) channel that it was retaliating by expelling a senior South African diplomat, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, and ordering him to leave Israel within 72 hours.

How has the US reacted?

Seidman's expulsion is likely to draw a strong reaction from the United States, a close ally of Israel. President Donald Trump has been particularly critical of South Africa. The Trump administration has accused South Africa of supporting Iran and Hamas and pursuing an anti-American foreign policy, which South Africa denies. Last year, Washington also expelled South Africa's ambassador, Ibrahim Rasool, for his comments about the "Make America Great Again" movement.