PRETORIA - South Africa has declared Israel’s chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata.
In a statement on Friday, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) said Seidman had leave the country within 72 hours.
It said the decision was due to breaches in diplomatic norms including repeated attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media platforms, and a deliberate failure to inform the department of purported visits by senior Israeli officials.
“Such actions represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental breach of the Vienna Convention. They have systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations.”
“We urge the Israeli government to ensure its future diplomatic conduct demonstrates respect for the Republic and the established principles of international engagement.” Dirco said in a statement.