TNA Staff
The New Arab / January 30, 2026
South Africa declared Israel’s deputy ambassador persona non grata on Friday and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours.
South Africa has declared Israel’s top diplomat in the country “persona non grata” and given him 72 hours to leave, the foreign ministry said on Friday, citing a “series of violations”.
Ties between the two nations are already strained, with South Africa bringing a case before the United Nations top court in 2023 to argue that Israel’s war on Gaza, an illegally occupied Palestinian territory, amounted to genocide.
The Israeli government had been informed that its charge d’affaires, Ariel Seidman, has been “declared persona non grata” and “required to depart from the Republic within 72 hours”, the ministry said in a statement.
“This decisive measure follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty,” it said.
They included “the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks” on President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The foreign ministry also accused the embassy of a “deliberate failure” to inform South Africa of “purported visits by senior Israeli officials”.
The Israeli foreign ministry swiftly responded that South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative “is persona non grata and must leave Israel within 72 hours”.
In a statement on X, it accused Pretoria of “false attacks against Israel in the international arena” and described Seidman’s expulsion as a “unilateral, baseless step”.
He was Israel’s most senior representative in South Africa after Tel Aviv recalled its ambassador in 2023.
‘Abuse of privilege’
South African officials were angered by a tweet from the Israeli embassy in November that commented: “A rare moment of wisdom and diplomatic clarity from President Ramaphosa.”
The post was in reaction to a news story citing Ramaphosa as saying “boycott politics doesn’t work”, in reference to US President Donald Trump’s decision to not attend the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
South African government officials also condemned as a breach of protocol a visit by an Israeli delegation this month to the Eastern Cape province where it reportedly offered to provide water, healthcare and agriculture expertise.
The visit, which appeared to take the government by surprise, was hosted by a traditional king from the Xhosa people who had met Israeli President Isaac Herzog on a trip to Israel in December last year.
In its statement, the foreign ministry accused representatives of Israel of actions that “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.
South Africa, which hosts the largest Jewish community in sub-Saharan Africa, is largely supportive of the Palestinian cause and sharply critical of Israel.
Pretoria’s embassy in Tel Aviv has been closed since November 17, 2023.
The government filed a case against Israel with the International Court of Justice in 2023 saying that its war on Gaza — which followed the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian group Hamas — breached the 1948 United Nations Genocide Convention.
Israel has denied that accusation.
When more than 150 Palestinians flew into South Africa in November without departure stamps from Israel on their passports, the South African foreign minister said there appeared to be “a clear agenda to cleanse Palestinians out of Gaza and the West Bank”.
“We are suspicious as a South African government about the circumstances surrounding the arrival of the plane,” Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola said.
There have been regular protests in South Africa against the Israeli government’s and military’s actions in Gaza, including calls for the embassy in Pretoria to be closed.
In an editorial in November, Seidman criticised South Africa for maintaining full ties with Iran but framing any engagement with the Israel state as “illegitimate”.
South Africa’s ties with the Trump administration — a strong ally of Israel — have also deteriorated over the past year, with the case before the ICJ a major sticking point.
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South Africa kicks out Israeli envoy after unauthorised meeting with tribal king
Joseph Chirume
The New Arab / January 30, 2026
Critics say the visit was part of an attempt to undermine South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel.
South Africa – South Africa and Israel have expelled each other’s senior envoys in a deepening diplomatic row, after Pretoria accused Israeli officials of violating diplomatic norms and interfering in domestic affairs amid tensions over South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
The standoff escalated after South Africa declared Israel’s chargé d’affaires, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours, prompting Israel to retaliate by expelling South Africa’s representative in Tel Aviv.
The expulsions come against the backdrop of mounting anger in South Africa over what officials describe as unilateral and unauthorised Israeli activity inside the country.
Recent actions by Israeli officials have raised diplomatic alarm after a delegation led by David Saranga of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs visited South Africa’s Eastern Cape Province without following diplomatic protocol, triggering outrage from provincial authorities and accusations that Israel was seeking to undermine South Africa’s sovereignty.
Some analysts say the trip was a strategic move by Israel to gain influence inside South Africa by engaging disgruntled communities, at a time when Pretoria is pursuing a genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.
Saranga and officials from the Embassy of Israel visited the Eastern Cape Province last week, one of the poorest provinces in South Africa.
This was at the invitation of the AbaThembu King, Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo.
The four-day visit saw the delegation holding marathon meetings with about 50 local chiefs.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane expressed outrage after learning that Embassy officials had visited the controversial AbaThembu chief and brought donations to healthcare and academic institutions without following diplomatic protocol. He added that the action undermines the sovereignty of South Africa.
Saranga said in a statement, “The visit followed the King’s trip to Jerusalem last month, where he was hosted by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and met with senior Israeli officials and institutions. That visit laid the groundwork for a reciprocal journey, aimed at examining how Israel can contribute practical expertise to improve daily life in the Eastern Cape, particularly in the fields of water, health, agriculture, and education.”
Saranga said that the community exchanges took place against a complex political backdrop, adding that ahead of the meeting, political pressure had been exerted on several traditional leaders, urging them not to engage with Israeli representatives.
“The leaders faced a real dilemma; comply with political expectations, or pursue opportunities that could tangibly improve the lives of their people. After considerable deliberation, they made a clear choice. The immediate needs of their communities; access to water, healthcare, and opportunity mattered more than political dictates coming from Pretoria,” said Saranga.
Eastern Cape Provincial government spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie said in a statement, “Eastern Cape Premier, Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane, has learnt with shock and with serious concern of reports of the recent visit by officials of the Embassy of Israel to public institutions within the province, including healthcare facilities and Walter Sisulu University, without the knowledge, consent, or support of the Provincial Government.”
Rantjie said Mabuyane rejects the deal between King Dalindyebo and Israel, and views these actions as an attempt by the Israeli government to undermine the sovereign right of the Republic of South Africa to manage its internal affairs.
Rantjie said, “The Authority to negotiate such cooperation resides with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), and the King has no mandate to interfere in the management of hospitals, including sourcing of foreign assistance.
“The cooperation between government and international partners, as a rule, should be initiated and managed by the Department of International Relations and Co-operation in conjunction with the National Treasury.”
Rantjie said Premier Mabuyane views attempts to bypass established protocol as mischievous and says, “the conduct of foreign relations is a constitutional competency vested in the national sphere of government. Accordingly, any engagement between foreign diplomatic missions and organs of state must occur through established diplomatic channels and in line with national protocols, in close coordination with both national and provincial authorities”.
Mabuyane added that such relations must be grounded in mutual respect, adherence to diplomatic conventions, and respect for South Africa’s constitutional order.
“No external entity has the right to bypass legitimate governmental structures or to engage with public institutions in a manner that compromises governance, accountability, or public trust” added Premier Mabuyane.
Azania People’s Organization (AZAPO) spokesperson, Jabu Rakwena said Israel’s actions are a response to the South African government’s actions against Israel’s genocide on the people of Palestine and Gaza.
Rakwena told The New Arab, “True to form, Israel felt isolated as condemnation came from many, including some of the known supporters of Israel. As part of consolidating her position and strengthening the USA in defence of Israel, the latter sought friends within South Africa who would not only discredit the case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) but also demonstrate that not all South Africans support the condemnation of Israel.”
Rakwena said AZAPO supports the call for the national government to intervene in the attempts by Israel to divide and antagonise the King and his subjects.
“We hope that these are not just talks by the Premier but will be followed by clear and tangible actions. AZAPO must add that the introduction of a Government of National Unity (GNU) in South Africa has given Israel reason to behave in this fashion because they rely on the support of parties like Democratic Alliance (DA), FF-Plus and Patriotic Alliance (PA) who are sponsored by Israel and Jewish businesses. AZAPO has always condemned the GNU and still maintains that it spells doom for the oppressed majority in South Africa. AZAPO will not be surprised when pressure is exerted on the Premier to tone down.”
Meanwhile, some say these actions would not have happened had South Africa cut diplomatic relations with Israel due to the genocide in Gaza.
Political activist Gcobani Ndzongana came out in support of King Dalindyebo. He said, “We won’t be lectured by hypocrites still doing business with Israel. We’ve been saying; cut ties with Israel, ban travel between South Africa and Israel, classify Israel as a terrorist state, classify the Israeli flag as a symbol of hate speech, and ban dual citizenship between South Africa and Israel.
South African anti-Zionist Jewish activist, Megan Choritz, said Israel is approaching traditional leaders in several countries under the pretext of first nations doctrine with it claiming to be the rightful owners of Palestinian lands as the first nation.
“This has been going on for a while. Right at the beginning, soon after 7 October, there was a campaign targeting First Nations people. They were invited to Israel to a brand new first nations museum that had opened in Jerusalem. Tribes from all over the world as first nations including Maoris.”
She added that this is meant to communicate the idea that Jewish people are the only people indigenous to the Palestinian lands.
“It’s very insulting. There is always this uncomfortable situation with Israel pretending to assist. It’s really a way of trying to buy influence. The other problem is that there are members of the GNU who are Zionists supporters and are complicit. It’s a very dirty, very ugly and typical underhanded way of operation.”
The new crisis emerges as Israel made similar moves in East Africa, recognising the breakaway republic of Somaliland and sending officials to meet with Horn of Africa tribes with a separatist agenda.
Joseph Chirume is a freelance journalist from Zimbabwe based in South Africa, writing on human rights and immigration issues with a focus on the South African landscape
