S. Africa Expels Israeli Diplomat Over Violations of Diplomatic Norms
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Chrispin Phiri said Israel was formally informed of the decision, citing repeated violations of diplomatic norms that were viewed as a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty.
“This decisive measure follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty,’’ Phiri said.
Authorities highlighted that Seidman had repeatedly used official Israeli social media accounts to launch personal attacks against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and failed to notify the Foreign Ministry of visits by senior Israeli officials.
These actions were deemed a significant abuse of diplomatic privileges and a breach of the Vienna Convention. “Mr Seidman is required to depart from the Republic within 72 hours,’’ the statement said, adding that such conduct “systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations.”
South Africa called on Israel to ensure that future diplomatic behavior reflects respect for the country and established international engagement principles.
The move follows previous tensions between the two countries. In 2023, South Africa summoned Israel’s ambassador to Pretoria, Eliav Belotsercovsky, over alleged remarks criticizing those opposing attacks on Palestinians. In December 2023, South Africa filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of violating the Genocide Convention through its actions in Gaza.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
