Israeli Regime, South Africa Declare Diplomats Persona Non Grata

By Al Mayadeen English

30 Jan 2026 23:35

Relations between the Israeli occupation and South Africa have sharply escalated after both sides declared senior diplomats persona non grata and ordered their expulsion.

Diplomatic relations between “Israel” and South Africa have sharply deteriorated after both sides declared each other’s senior diplomatic representatives persona non grata and ordered them to leave within 72 hours.

The unprecedented escalation comes amid sustained tensions between the two sides, particularly amid the ongoing Israeli aggression the Gaza Strip and South Africa’s legal and political positions against Israeli policies on the international stage.

South Africa’s government announced on Friday that Ariel Seidman, the acting head of “Israel’s” embassy in Pretoria, had been declared persona non grata and was instructed to leave the country within 72 hours.

Series of unacceptable violations

In a statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation said the decision followed what it described as “a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice,” which it said amounted to a direct challenge to South Africa’s national sovereignty.

“Israel,” for its part, said the move was a response to what it described as “malicious attacks” against it in international forums, underscoring the depth of the diplomatic rift between the two countries.

Relations between South Africa and “Israel” have steadily worsened over recent months, with Pretoria taking increasingly assertive legal and diplomatic steps against Israeli actions in Gaza, further straining already fragile ties.

South Africa gives Israeli diplomat 72 hours

South Africa has declared "Israel’s" chargé d’affaires, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours, the Foreign Affairs Ministry announced on Friday. The decision was published in a statement on the Ministry’s website.

The Ministry accused Seidman of “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty,” citing the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks against President Cyril Ramaphosa, as well as a failure to notify the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of visits by senior Israeli officials.

Relations between South Africa and "Israel" have been under significant strain, particularly following South Africa’s genocide case against "Israel" over its war on Gaza at the International Court of Justice.

South Africa formally instituted proceedings against "Israel" at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 29, 2023, accusing it of violating the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in its military actions in Gaza. The application argued that "Israel’s" conduct could amount to genocide and sought provisional measures to protect Palestinians, including calls to suspend military operations.