Israeli Chargé d'Affaires to South Africa, Amb. Ariel Seidman (File:Bloomberg)
Nairobi, 30/01/2026
By Savanna Radio Staff Writer…
South Africa has declared Israel’s deputy ambassador persona non grata and ordered him to leave within 72 hours, escalating a long-standing diplomatic feud, according to The Washington Times. The move targets Ariel Seidman, the chargé d’affaires at Israel’s embassy in Pretoria. South Africa’s Foreign Ministry cited repeated Israeli social media posts insulting President Cyril Ramaphosa, along with failures to notify Pretoria about visits by Israeli officials. These were labeled “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practices” that systematically undermine bilateral ties.
Reported by “The Washing Times”, Seidman is Israel’s senior-most diplomat in South Africa since the ambassador’s recall in 2023 amid strained relations. Israel swiftly retaliated against South Africa’s expulsion of its deputy ambassador Ariel Seidman by declaring South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Shaun Edward Byneveldt (Minister), persona non grata and ordering him to leave Israel within 72 hours. Israel’s Foreign Ministry announced the tit-for-tat measure hours after Pretoria’s decision, stating it followed South Africa’s “false attacks against Israel in the international arena and the unilateral, baseless step” against its chargé d’affaires. The response mirrors South Africa’s 72-hour departure deadline for Seidman.
This reciprocal expulsion deepens already frosty ties, rooted in South Africa’s 2023 ICJ genocide case against Israel over Gaza and Israel’s recall of its ambassador that year. Israel views Pretoria’s actions as aligned with Hamas, while South Africa accuses Israel of breaching diplomatic norms via social media insults against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The U.S. under President Trump, a key Israeli ally, is likely to back Jerusalem strongly.
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