South Africa expels Israeli ambassador
Israel has declared South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative persona non grata, ordering him to leave the country, in a direct retaliation to Pretoria’s expulsion of Israel’s chargé d’affaires.
The Israeli decision followed South Africa’s announcement on January 30, 2026, declaring Israeli chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata and giving him 72 hours to depart the country. South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said the move was based on what it described as violations of diplomatic norms, including alleged inflammatory remarks against President Cyril Ramaphosa and failures to properly notify the South African government of official diplomatic engagements.
In response, the Israeli Foreign Ministry, acting on the directives of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, announced that South Africa’s chargé d’affaires in Israel, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, had also been declared persona non grata and instructed to leave Israel within a stipulated timeframe.
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Israeli officials described the action as a reciprocal diplomatic measure, warning that further steps could follow depending on developments. The ministry said Israel would not tolerate what it termed “hostile and one-sided actions” by the South African government.
Relations between Israel and South Africa have been strained in recent years, particularly over Pretoria’s strong criticism of Israel’s military operations in Gaza and South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which Israel has rejected.
The latest exchange marks a further deterioration in bilateral ties, raising concerns about a prolonged diplomatic standoff between the two countries.
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