Archive · 30 Jan 2026
South Africa Expels Israeli Diplomat
South Africa has asked Israel's top diplomat, Ariel Seidman, to leave the country within 72 hours.
This is because South Africa says Seidman broke the rules of diplomacy.
They say he used social media to insult their president and didn't tell them about visits from other important Israeli officials.
Israel then asked South Africa's top diplomat in Israel, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, to leave as well.
South Africa and Israel have been having problems lately because South Africa is taking Israel to court over what's happening in Gaza.
Israel says South Africa's case is not true.
The U.S. President has also been upset with South Africa and has taken some actions against them.
South Africa declared Israel’s chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata and ordered him to leave within 72 hours.
Seidman is accused of violating diplomatic norms, including insulting President Ramaphosa on social media and failing to notify South African authorities about visits by senior Israeli officials.
Israel retaliated by declaring South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata and giving him the same deadline to leave.
Diplomatic relations between South Africa and Israel are strained due to South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the ICJ, which Israel has rejected as baseless.
The U.S. President has also taken actions against South Africa, including verbal scolding, trade sanctions, and cutting all U.S. funding.
- Who
- South Africa's foreign affairs ministry and Ariel Seidman, Israel's chargé d'affaires, and Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative in Israel
- What
- South Africa declared Ariel Seidman persona non grata and Israel retaliated by declaring Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt persona non grata
- When
- January 30, 2024
- Where
- Johannesburg, South Africa
- Why
- For violating diplomatic norms and sovereignty, including insulting attacks on President Ramaphosa and failure to inform DIRCO of visits, and South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the ICJ
- Country
- South Africa
- Person Declared Non Grata
- Ariel Seidman, Israel's chargé d'affaires
- Reason
- Violations of diplomatic norms and sovereignty
- Departure Deadline
- 72 hours
- Issues Cited
- Insulting attacks on President Ramaphosa and failure to inform DIRCO of visits
- Current Diplomatic Relations
- Strained
- South Africa's Action
- Genocide case against Israel at ICJ
- Israel's Response
- Rejected the case as baseless and expelled South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative
- South Africa's Senior Diplomatic Representative in Israel
- Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt
- U.S. President's Response
- Verbal scolding, trade sanctions, and cutting all U.S. funding
