South Africa Expels Israeli Diplomat, Israel Retaliates in Tit-for-Tat Move

Diplomatic Row Escalates Between South Africa and Israel

Pretoria, South Africa – Diplomatic tensions between South Africa and Israel reached a new peak on Friday, January 30, 2026, as South Africa declared Israel's chargé d'affaires, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata, demanding his departure within 72 hours. This decisive action was met with immediate retaliation from Israel, which expelled South Africa's senior diplomatic representative, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, in a reciprocal move.

South Africa Cites Breaches of Diplomatic Norms

South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) stated that the expulsion of Ariel Seidman was a consequence of 'unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice' that directly challenged the country's sovereignty. Among the key reasons cited were the 'repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks' against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. One notable instance mentioned in media reports was a post from November on the Israeli embassy's X (formerly Twitter) account, which described a remark by President Ramaphosa as 'a rare moment of wisdom and diplomatic clarity,' widely perceived as sarcastic.

Furthermore, DIRCO accused Seidman of a 'deliberate failure to inform' the department of purported visits by senior Israeli officials. These actions were deemed a 'gross abuse of diplomatic privilege' and a 'fundamental breach of the Vienna Convention' by South African authorities. An unauthorized visit by David Saranga, an Israeli Foreign Ministry official, to South Africa's Eastern Cape Province without following diplomatic protocol was also highlighted as a contributing factor.

Israel's Reciprocal Expulsion and Broader Context

Hours after South Africa's announcement, Israel's Foreign Ministry declared Shaun Edward Byneveldt, South Africa's senior diplomatic representative to Palestine based in Ramallah, persona non grata, ordering him to leave within 72 hours. Israel's decision was attributed to 'false attacks' by South Africa against Israel in international forums and the 'unilateral, baseless step' taken against its chargé d'affaires.

This latest development underscores the severely strained diplomatic relations between the two nations. Relations significantly deteriorated after South Africa initiated a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. The ICJ subsequently ruled in January 2024 that the claim of genocide was 'plausible.' Israel had previously recalled its ambassador in 2023, making Ariel Seidman the most senior Israeli diplomat in South Africa prior to his expulsion. South Africa has historically been a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause.