US lashes out after South Africa expels Israel’s top diplomat

US lashes out after South Africa expels Israel’s top diplomat

South Africa’s already tense relationship with the United States has taken another hit this time over Pretoria’s decision to expel Israel’s most senior diplomat in the country.

The move, announced by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) late last month, has drawn sharp criticism from Washington, which described it as yet another example of South Africa making “poor foreign policy choices”.

DIRCO declared Israeli Charge d’Affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata on 30 January, giving him 72 hours to leave the country. According to the department, the decision followed what it called repeated and “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms”.

Why Seidman was expelled

DIRCO accused Seidman and the Israeli Embassy of using official social media platforms to launch “insulting attacks” against President Cyril Ramaphosa. The department also cited a failure to formally notify the South African government of alleged visits by Israeli officials something it said undermined the country’s sovereignty.

While the move was applauded by some pro-Palestinian voices online, it immediately raised alarm bells within South Africa’s own Government of National Unity. Both the Democratic Alliance (DA) and Freedom Front Plus (FF+) warned that expelling a senior Israeli diplomat would inevitably strain ties with the United States, Israel’s closest ally.

Washington’s blunt response

Those fears were realised this week when the US State Department weighed in publicly. In a post on X, the department’s principal deputy spokesperson confirmed the Trump administration’s disapproval.

“South Africa’s recent decision to expel Israel’s top diplomat is another example of its poor foreign policy choices,” he said, accusing Pretoria of prioritising “grievance politics” over the interests of its citizens.

The spokesperson argued that Seidman was being punished for speaking out about the ANC’s alleged links to Hamas and other antisemitic groups a claim South African officials strongly dispute.

A relationship already on ice

The diplomatic fallout comes against the backdrop of what ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has openly described as a “cold war” between South Africa and the US.

Relations deteriorated sharply after the Trump administration expelled South Africa’s ambassador to Washington, Ebrahim Rasool, earlier this year. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio labelled Rasool a “race-baiting politician”, further souring ties.

Tensions escalated again in May 2025 when President Donald Trump confronted Ramaphosa with footage he claimed showed attacks on white farmers allegations Ramaphosa dismissed as “blatant misinformation”. South African officials have consistently said violent crime affects all communities, not one race.

Since then, the US has boycotted South Africa’s G20 Leaders Summit, barred the country from attending the 2026 summit hosted in the US, and floated legislation in the Senate aimed at sanctioning South Africa and senior officials.

Political fallout at home

Opposition parties have been quick to criticise DIRCO’s handling of the Seidman matter. FF+ leader Dr Corné Mulder called the expulsion “wilful and provocative”, arguing it unnecessarily risks trade and economic relations.

DA foreign affairs spokesperson Ryan Smith echoed that view, accusing DIRCO of provoking international disputes instead of addressing domestic crises. “This places South African trade squarely in the firing line,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the ANC has announced plans for a national march against US foreign policy, framing Washington’s actions as a threat to South Africa’s sovereignty.

As Pretoria doubles down on its stance, one thing is clear: South Africa’s diplomatic balancing act is becoming increasingly difficult and the cost of these decisions may soon be felt far beyond the corridors of international relations.

{Source: News Day}

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