South Africa announced on Friday that it had declared the senior diplomat at the Israeli embassy persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours, a move likely to further strain bilateral relations, particularly with the United States.
Israel responded swiftly with a reciprocal measure, declaring South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Minister Shaun Edward Bainveldt, persona non grata and granting him the same 72-hour deadline to depart.
This escalation comes amid strained relations between the two countries since South Africa filed a case at the International Court of Justice accusing Israel of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip—allegations Israel has rejected as unfounded.
The case has also affected Pretoria’s relations with Washington, as U.S. President Donald Trump has launched political attacks against South Africa, including sharp verbal criticism, the imposition of punitive trade measures, and the issuance of an executive order last year cutting all U.S. funding.
South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation said it ordered Israeli Chargé d’Affaires Ariel Sideman to leave the country due to “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practices,” including insulting President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media, as well as a “deliberate failure” to inform South African authorities of visits by senior Israeli officials.
The ministry did not specify the posts in question, but reports pointed to a post on X in November, published by the Israeli embassy’s account, that was deemed offensive to the South African president.
In response, Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on X that it would expel South Africa’s representative following what it described as “false attacks” by Pretoria against Israel on the international stage, calling South Africa’s move an unjustified unilateral action.
In 2023, South African lawmakers voted to close the Israeli embassy in Pretoria and suspend diplomatic relations over the war in Gaza, though the decision has not yet been implemented.
Meanwhile, Crispin Phiri, spokesperson for South Africa’s foreign ministry, told Newzroom Afrika television that his country hopes the Israeli embassy will engage respectfully with South African authorities and appoint representatives who support diplomacy and work to advance it.