The decision marks a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between Israel and South Africa amid ongoing tensions linked to international legal and political actions taken against Israel.
Israel on Friday declared South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative in the country, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata and ordered him to leave within 72 hours.
In a statement publicly released, the Israeli government said: “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar decided – following South Africa’s false attacks against Israel in the international arena and the unilateral, baseless step taken against the Chargé d’Affaires of Israel in South Africa – that South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, is persona non grata and must leave Israel within 72 hours.”
The statement added that “additional steps will be considered in due course.”
The decision marks a further deterioration in diplomatic relations between Israel and South Africa amid ongoing tensions linked to international legal and political actions taken against Israel.
Earlier, SaharaReporters reported that South Africa declared the Israeli Chargé d'Affaires, Mr Ariel Seidman, persona non grata, ordering him to leave the country within 72 hours following what the government described as serious violations of diplomatic norms.
In a media statement issued on Thursday by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), the South African government said it had formally informed the Government of the State of Israel of its decision, describing the move as a “decisive measure” taken to defend the country’s sovereignty.
The statement was issued on Friday.
According to the statement, the decision followed “a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa's sovereignty.” DIRCO accused the Israeli diplomat of engaging in conduct that undermined established diplomatic protocols and bilateral trust.
These violations include the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks against His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa,” the department said. It also cited “a deliberate failure to inform DIRCO of purported visits by senior Israeli officials” as part of the conduct that led to the decision.
The department said such actions amounted to “a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental breach of the Vienna Convention,” the international treaty governing diplomatic relations between states. It added that the conduct had “systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations.”
Reaffirming the government’s position, DIRCO stated that “South Africa's sovereignty and the dignity of its offices are inviolable.” As a result, Mr Seidman has been instructed to leave the Republic within 72 hours of the notification.
The South African government also urged Israel to ensure that its diplomatic representatives adhere strictly to international norms in the future. “We urge the Israeli government to ensure its future diplomatic conduct demonstrates respect for the Republic and the established principles of international engagement,” the statement said.