South Africa has declared Israeli chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata, ordering his expulsion within 72 hours for multiple violations of diplomatic protocols. The diplomatic rupture comes amid deteriorating relations between the two nations following South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
According to South Africa’s foreign ministry, Seidman committed serious breaches of diplomatic norms, including using official social media channels to launch personal attacks against President Cyril Ramaphosa and arranging unauthorized visits by Israeli officials. The ministry characterized these actions as “a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege” that warranted immediate diplomatic consequences.
The current diplomatic crisis stems from South Africa’s unprecedented move to bring genocide charges against Israel at the UN’s highest court regarding its military operations in Gaza. Israel has vehemently denied these allegations, calling them baseless and politically motivated.
Seidman, who assumed his position last year, held diplomatic responsibilities extending beyond South Africa to several neighboring nations including Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Namibia. Israel currently maintains no ambassadorial representation in South Africa, further complicating bilateral communications.
The BBC’s attempts to obtain commentary from the Israeli embassy in Pretoria have thus far gone unanswered. This development represents one of the most significant diplomatic confrontations between the two nations in recent history, reflecting the deepening divide over Israel’s military actions in Palestinian territories.