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Washington Condemns South Africa’s Move to Expel Israeli Envoy
(MENAFN) The United States has voiced sharp criticism of South Africa’s decision to expel Israel’s acting ambassador, Ariel Seidman, describing the move as a misstep in foreign policy.
A US State Department representative said the decision reflected misguided diplomacy, stating that “South Africa’s recent decision to expel Israel’s top diplomat is another example of its poor foreign policy choices,” according to official remarks shared publicly.
The US official argued that Pretoria acted after Seidman criticized the ruling African National Congress for what were described as links to Hamas and “other antisemitic radicals,” adding that the expulsion places “grievance politics over the good of South Africa and its citizens.”
South Africa’s Foreign Ministry announced last Friday that Seidman had been declared persona non grata due to what it described as “a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty.” The statement cited comments considered offensive toward President Cyril Ramaphosa and ordered Seidman to leave the country within 72 hours.
Israel responded the same day with a reciprocal move, declaring South Africa’s senior diplomatic envoy persona non grata and instructing him to depart within a similar timeframe.
Seidman has held the position of charge d’affaires since November 2023, after Israel withdrew its ambassador when South Africa pulled its own diplomats from Tel Aviv in protest over Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
Although South Africa maintains diplomatic ties with both Israel and Palestine, it took legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice in December 2023. The case accuses Israel of breaching its obligations under the Genocide Convention in relation to its actions in Gaza.
Since the filing, the ICJ has issued multiple provisional rulings directing Israel to take measures aimed at preventing acts of genocide.
A US State Department representative said the decision reflected misguided diplomacy, stating that “South Africa’s recent decision to expel Israel’s top diplomat is another example of its poor foreign policy choices,” according to official remarks shared publicly.
The US official argued that Pretoria acted after Seidman criticized the ruling African National Congress for what were described as links to Hamas and “other antisemitic radicals,” adding that the expulsion places “grievance politics over the good of South Africa and its citizens.”
South Africa’s Foreign Ministry announced last Friday that Seidman had been declared persona non grata due to what it described as “a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty.” The statement cited comments considered offensive toward President Cyril Ramaphosa and ordered Seidman to leave the country within 72 hours.
Israel responded the same day with a reciprocal move, declaring South Africa’s senior diplomatic envoy persona non grata and instructing him to depart within a similar timeframe.
Seidman has held the position of charge d’affaires since November 2023, after Israel withdrew its ambassador when South Africa pulled its own diplomats from Tel Aviv in protest over Israel’s genocidal war in Gaza.
Although South Africa maintains diplomatic ties with both Israel and Palestine, it took legal action against Israel at the International Court of Justice in December 2023. The case accuses Israel of breaching its obligations under the Genocide Convention in relation to its actions in Gaza.
Since the filing, the ICJ has issued multiple provisional rulings directing Israel to take measures aimed at preventing acts of genocide.
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