Pretoria, South Africa. South Africa declared the top diplomat at Israel’s embassy persona non grata and ordered him to leave within 72 hours, and Israel announced a reciprocal expulsion of South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative.
Reciprocal expulsions
South Africa’s foreign ministry said it had ordered Israeli chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman to leave, citing “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice.” Israel promptly retaliated by declaring South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata and giving him the same deadline to leave.
Reasons cited by South Africa
South Africa’s foreign ministry said its decision included allegations that Seidman insulted President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media. It did not specify which posts caused offence, but referenced as a potential example a November post on X by the Israeli embassy account stating: “A rare moment of wisdom and diplomatic clarity from President Ramaphosa.”
The statement also accused Seidman of a “deliberate failure” to notify South African authorities about visits by senior Israeli officials.
Israel’s response
Israel’s foreign ministry said on X that it was expelling South Africa’s representative “following South Africa’s false attacks against Israel in the international arena and the unilateral, baseless step taken against (Israel’s) Chargé d’Affaires”.
Wider diplomatic context
Relations between South Africa and Israel have been strained since South Africa brought a genocide case over Israel’s actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice. Israel has rejected the case as baseless.
The genocide case has also contributed to U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on Pretoria, including verbal scolding, trade sanctions and an executive order last year cutting all U.S. funding.
Previous parliamentary action
South African lawmakers in 2023 voted in favour of closing the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspending diplomatic relations over the war in Gaza, but the decision was never implemented.
How do you think the reciprocal expulsions will affect South Africa’s diplomatic relations with Israel and the United States?
