South Africa has escalated diplomatic tensions with Israel by expelling the country’s top envoy, ordering him to leave within 72 hours over what it described as repeated breaches of diplomatic conduct.
In a statement released on Friday, January 30, South Africa’s foreign ministry announced that Israel’s charge d’affaires, Ariel Seidman, had been declared persona non grata following a “series of unacceptable violations” that it said undermined the country’s sovereignty and diplomatic norms.
Relations between Pretoria and Tel Aviv have been fragile for years, deteriorating sharply after South Africa approached the International Court of Justice in 2023, accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a claim Israel has strongly denied.
According to the ministry, the decision to expel Seidman was communicated formally to the Israeli government, stressing that the move was not taken lightly but followed sustained concerns over the conduct of Israeli diplomatic representatives in the country.
“These actions constitute a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty and represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege,” the ministry said, adding that they amounted to a breach of the Vienna Convention governing diplomatic relations.
Among the cited violations were repeated posts from official Israeli embassy social media accounts that South Africa said contained insulting remarks directed at President Cyril Ramaphosa. Officials also accused the Israeli mission of failing to properly notify authorities about visits by senior Israeli officials.
One incident that reportedly angered government officials was a November social media post by the Israeli embassy reacting to comments attributed to President Ramaphosa about international boycotts. The post, described by South African authorities as inappropriate and sarcastic, was seen as crossing diplomatic boundaries.
Tensions were further inflamed by an unannounced visit earlier this month by an Israeli delegation to the Eastern Cape province, where assistance in areas such as water supply, healthcare and agriculture was reportedly discussed. The visit was hosted by a traditional Xhosa king and appeared to have caught the national government off guard.
South Africa has long positioned itself as a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause and a critic of Israel’s military operations in Gaza. Its embassy in Tel Aviv has remained closed since November 17, 2023, the same year it filed its case at the ICJ, arguing that Israel’s actions following the October 7 Hamas attacks violated the 1948 UN Genocide Convention.
The government has also raised concerns over the arrival of more than 150 Palestinians in South Africa last November without Israeli exit stamps on their passports, with Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola suggesting there may be a broader agenda behind the movement of civilians from Gaza and the West Bank.
Public opposition to Israel’s actions has remained strong within South Africa, with frequent protests and renewed calls for the complete closure of Israel’s embassy in Pretoria.
Diplomatic strains have extended beyond Israel, as South Africa’s stance has also contributed to worsening relations with the United States under President Donald Trump, a key ally of Israel, with the ICJ case continuing to be a major point of disagreement.
The expulsion of Israel’s top diplomat now marks one of the most serious diplomatic steps taken by South Africa in the ongoing dispute, signalling a further deepening of the rift between the two nations.
