South Africa has expelled Israel’s top diplomat in the country for “violating diplomatic norms”, a move that prompted Israel to kick out a South African envoy in retaliation.
The diplomatic row started when South Africa’s foreign affairs ministry declared Ariel Seidman, chargé d’affaires at the Israeli embassy, persona non grata and gave him 72 hours to leave the country.
Hours later, Israel announced similar action against South Africa’s ambassador to Palestine Shaun Edward Byneveldt.
Relations between South Africa and Israel have been frosty since South Africa accused Israel of genocide against Palestinians at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), a charge Israel has rejected.
South Africa accused Seidman of using official social media platforms to attack Ramaphosa and inviting Israeli officials to the country without permission.
The two expelled diplomats were their respective country’s highest-ranking representatives as there is no Israeli ambassador in South Africa and likewise no South African ambassador in Israel.
Announcing Seidman’s expulsion, South Africa’s foreign affairs ministry said his actions “represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege”.
Shortly afterwards, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar hit back and announced that “following South Africa’s false attacks against Israel in the international arena and the unilateral, baseless step taken” against [Seidman], Byneveldt is also persona non grata and would have to leave Israel within 72 hours.
“Additional steps will be considered in due course,” the Israeli government told the BBC.
In a tweet, South Africa’s foreign affairs ministry spokesperson accused Israel of using a “farcical arrangement where he is accredited through the very state that occupies his host country” to expel Byneveldt.
South Africa withdrew its ambassador to Israel in 2018, accusing Israel of an indiscriminate deadly attack on civilians in Gaza. Israel recalled its ambassador to South Africa in 2023 after South Africa took Israel to the ICJ.
Seidman was appointed chargé d’affaires at Israel’s embassy in South Africa last year and his role also extends to the neighbouring countries of Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius and Namibia.
Since then his close ties with Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, a controversial South African king who is also Nelson Mandela’s nephew, have come in for criticism from Ramaphosa’s government.
Dalindyebo visited Israel in December – and met high-ranking officials, without the knowledge of the South African government. On his return home, an Israeli delegation visited the monarch’s home province of the Eastern Cape with the promise of aid.
Israeli officials recently posted videos and images on X of their trip, which they said was to discuss “concrete assistance in water, health and agriculture”.
South Africa has several recognised monarchs representing different ethnic groups and clans, but they have no formal political power.
