Protesters hold flags of Israel and South Africa amid diplomatic tensions.
Diplomatic relations between Israel and South Africa have plunged to a new low with the mutual expulsion of top envoys. South Africa declared Israel’s chargé d’affaires persona non grata, citing repeated online attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa and alleged diplomatic breaches. Israel immediately retaliated by ordering South Africa’s senior diplomat to leave, denouncing Pretoria’s “false attacks” in international forums and its “unilateral, baseless step” against the Israeli diplomat. This tit-for-tat move marks the latest flare-up in a long-simmering dispute rooted in South Africa’s staunch support for the Palestinian cause. Pretoria has spearheaded a high-profile genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice over its Gaza offensive, which Israel calls “profoundly distorted.” The expulsions solidify a deep fracture, with both countries giving their respective diplomats just 72 hours to depart.
FT