• South Africa expels Israel's chargé d'affaires, Ariel Seidman, accusing him of diplomatic violations.
• The move follows South Africa's actions at the International Court of Justice regarding alleged genocide in Gaza.
• Israel retaliates by expelling South Africa's senior diplomat, Shaun Edward Byneveldt.

South Africa declared the charge d’affaires of the Israeli embassy, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata on January 30, 2026, giving him just 72 hours to leave the country. The South African Foreign Ministry accused Seidman of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms that compromise the country's sovereignty, including making “insulting attacks” against President Cyril Ramaphosa via official Israeli social media platforms and failing to inform authorities about visits from senior Israeli officials, as stated by spokesperson Chrispin Phiri. This expulsion aligns with growing tensions stemming from South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice for alleged genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, which Israel has vehemently denied, according to Reuters and Anadolu Agency.

The Israeli Ministry responded swiftly, expelling Shaun Edward Byneveldt, South Africa's senior diplomat, in a reciprocal action. Reports indicate that Byneveldt is recognized as the country's representative to Palestine and has been instructed to leave within the same time frame. The Israeli government criticized South Africa's earlier allegations as unfounded and characterized its diplomatic actions as an extension of support for Hamas, according to articles published by Al Jazeera and Los Angeles Times.

As diplomatic tensions escalate, South Africa maintains that the actions taken against its own officials are a reflection of Israel's repeated violations of international norms. Chrispin Phiri stated, “Israel’s obstructionism forces a farcical arrangement,” emphasizing the need for respectful diplomatic engagement going forward. This expulsion further complicates South Africa's position, which has already been strained by accusations from the U.S. administration regarding its foreign policy stance, particularly under the Trump administration, which has been critical of Pretoria's alignments, as detailed by Reuters, Anadolu Agency, and Los Angeles Times.