"This decisive measure follows a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice which pose a direct challenge to South Africa's sovereignty, the statement said. These violations include the repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting attacks against His Excellency President Cyril Ramaphosa, and a deliberate failure to inform DIRCO of purported visits by senior Israeli officials."
"South Africa's relationship with Israel deteriorated in December 2023, when South Africa launched a case at the international court of justice (ICJ) accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. In January 2024, the ICJ ruled that the claim of genocide was plausible. However, the case has since slowed and experts do not expect a judgment before the end of 2027."
South Africa declared Ariel Seidman, charge d'affaires at Israel's Pretoria embassy, persona non grata and ordered him to leave within 72 hours for insulting social media attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa and abuse of diplomatic privilege. DIRCO cited repeated use of official Israeli social media to attack the president and failures to inform the department of purported visits by senior Israeli officials. Bilateral ties worsened after South Africa filed an ICJ case in December 2023 accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza; the ICJ found the genocide claim plausible in January 2024, but the case has slowed with no judgment expected before late 2027. Israel rejected the accusations as outrageous and false. South African governments have long supported the Palestinian cause, invoking Nelson Mandela's statement that freedom is incomplete without Palestinian freedom, and many South Africans compare Israeli policies in occupied territories to apartheid, a comparison Israel disputes.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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