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South Africa declared Israel’s top diplomat in the country persona non grata and gave him 72 hours to leave, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday.
The move follows years of tense ties over Gaza, including South Africa’s case at the United Nation’s top court in 2023, which accused Israel of genocide.
The statement cited “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms” and “insulting attacks” on President Cyril Ramaphosa on official Israeli social media. It said Ariel Seidman was ordered to depart within 72 hours and criticised Israel for failing to notify Pretoria of visits by senior officials.
The ministry had informed Israel that Ariel Seidman is “declared persona non grata” and “required to depart from the Republic within 72 hours”, the statement read.
“Such actions represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental breach of the Vienna Convention. They have systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations,” it said.
The envoy’s expulsion comes days after an Israeli delegation visited South Africa’s Eastern Cape, offering water, healthcare, and agriculture expertise, a visit viewed as a breach of protocol.
