Why South Africa has declared top Israeli diplomat persona non gratais, ordered to leave in 72 hours
South Africa has expelled Israel’s top diplomat in Pretoria, accusing the Israeli embassy of repeated violations of diplomatic norms and disrespect toward the country’s sovereignty.
In a statement, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) said it had declared Ariel Seidman, Israel’s Chargé d’Affaires, persona non grata, a formal diplomatic designation meaning an envoy is no longer welcome in the host country. DIRCO ordered Seidman to leave South Africa within 72 hours.
The South African government said the decision followed what it described as a “series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice.”
Among the main concerns were claims that official Israeli social media platforms had been used to launch insulting attacks against President Cyril Ramaphosa. DIRCO said such actions represented a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and undermined trust between the two countries.
The department also accused Israel of failing to inform South Africa about visits by senior Israeli officials, which it said violated established diplomatic protocol.
Breach of the Vienna Convention
South Africa argued that these actions amounted to a “fundamental breach” of the Vienna Convention, the international framework that governs diplomatic conduct and relations between states. “They have systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations,” DIRCO said.
The government stressed that South Africa’s sovereignty and the dignity of its institutions are “inviolable.”
South Africa urged the Israeli government to ensure that future diplomatic engagement respects the Republic’s laws and international principles.
Israel has not yet publicly responded to the decision.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
