The State of Israel has declared South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative to Palestine, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata and ordered him to leave Israel within 72 hours. This move was taken in direct retaliation for the South African government’s decision earlier the same day to declare Ariel Seidman, the Chargé d’Affaires at the Israeli Embassy in Pretoria, persona non grata.

The latest exchange forms part of a growing cycle of diplomatic retaliation, triggered most immediately by a recent visit by Israeli officials to the Eastern Cape and to AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo. During the visit, Israeli representatives made donations to a local hospital and indicated a willingness to assist surrounding communities with Israeli water-access technology.

Over the past decade and a half, South Africa–Israel relations have been repeatedly strained through recalls and downgrades. In June 2010, South Africa recalled its ambassador, Ismail Coovadia, for consultations following the Gaza flotilla raid. In 2017, the African National Congress (ANC) resolved at its national conference to instruct government to downgrade South Africa’s mission in Israel to a liaison office. Tensions escalated further in May 2018, when Pretoria recalled Ambassador Sisa Ngombane with immediate effect following deadly clashes on the Gaza border. This position hardened in April 2019, when International Relations Minister Lindiwe Sisulu confirmed that the ambassador would not be replaced.

The cycle of diplomatic retaliation returned during the Gaza war in November 2023, when Israel recalled its ambassador to South Africa, Eliav Belotserkovsky, for consultations. This followed the adoption by the South African Parliament of a non-binding motion calling on government to close the South African Embassy in Israel and suspend diplomatic relations until a ceasefire was reached in Gaza. The motion, driven primarily by the ANC and Economic Freedom Fighters, was passed by a majority in the National Assembly. Prior to this, South Africa had already recalled its remaining diplomatic staff from Israel for consultations.

Byneveldt, the South African official now declared persona non grata, was widely understood to be operating primarily from the Ramallah consular office after the South African government effectively shuttered public access to its mission in Tel Aviv.

Seidman’s tenure as Chargé d’Affaires in Pretoria has been marked by a notably assertive public communications style, particularly on social media. The Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO) characterised his conduct as involving “insulting attacks” and accused Israel of engaging in “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty.” This appears to relate to Israeli officials’ visits and donations to hospitals and local communities without prior engagement with DIRCO.

That claim appears weak. It is entirely normal for diplomats to engage routinely with government departments, civil society, and local actors, often with limited or no DIRCO involvement. In any event, DIRCO’s interaction with Israeli diplomats has been sharply curtailed since South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice in 2024.

Rather, the unusually severe reaction appears driven by political sensitivity within the ANC ahead of upcoming local government elections. The AbaThembu King sits at the heart of the ANC’s electoral heartland in the Eastern Cape and is historically connected to the founding leadership of the party. For the ANC, the optics of Israel – its ideological adversary – working directly with the King on basic service delivery issues such as water access may have been politically intolerable in an election year.

The persona non grata decision is likely to have broader repercussions for South African foreign affairs. The Ramallah office plays a critical role for Palestinians engaging the South African government and also serves South African citizens in Israel, including as a voting station during national elections and as a provider of consular services such as passport applications, despite operating under the Palestinian Authority. European partners are also likely to be unsettled by South Africa’s increasingly extreme diplomatic posture, particularly given Pretoria’s close political alignment with Hamas and Iran.

Most significantly, the episode risks further alienating American support. The incoming United States ambassador has already indicated that South Africa–Israel relations will form part of his agenda once he is formally accredited in Pretoria.