Overview
- South Africa declared Israeli chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata and ordered him to leave within 72 hours.
- Israel responded by ordering South Africa’s senior representative, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, to depart within the same timeframe and said additional steps may follow.
- South African officials cited repeated official Israeli social media attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa and failure to notify authorities about visits by senior Israeli figures.
- The disputed visits included Eastern Cape engagements involving senior Israeli diplomat David Saranga and facilitation by King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, which Pretoria called a breach of protocol.
- Both expulsions target the countries’ most senior on-the-ground representatives after ambassadors were recalled in 2023 over South Africa’s ICJ case accusing Israel of genocide.