SOUTH AFRICA EXPELS TOP ISRAELI DIPLOMAT OVER 'INSULTING ATTACKS' ON PRESIDENT

By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief, The Azanian

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South Africa has declared Ariel Seidman, Israel's top diplomat, persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours, citing "insulting attacks" on President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media.

The move comes after Israel's embassy posted a series of tweets criticizing South Africa's government, including one that said Ramaphosa showed "a rare moment of wisdom and diplomatic clarity" when he said "boycott politics don't work".

"This decisive measure follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa's sovereignty," said Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

The row began when Israeli diplomats met the Thembu king, Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo, in the Eastern Cape province without informing the South African government, sparking outrage in Pretoria. The meeting was seen as an attempt to undermine South Africa's sovereignty.

In response, Israel expelled Shaun Edward Byneveldt, South Africa's representative to Palestine, giving him 72 hours to leave the country. Israel's foreign ministry stated that the decision was made "following South Africa's false attacks against Israel in the international arena and the unilateral, baseless step taken against Israel's Chargé d'Affaires".

The spat is the latest escalation in tensions between the two nations, with South Africa accusing Israel of genocide against Palestinians in Gaza at thInternational Court of Justice (ICJ). South Africa's government has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza, and the ICJ has issued provisional measures ordering Israel to prevent acts of genocide.

The expulsion of Seidman is a significant development in the ongoing diplomatic row between South Africa and Israel. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what implications it will have for relations between the two countries.