Expert analysis: South Africa's expulsion of Israeli envoy sends clear message to incoming US ambassador
US ambassador-designate to South Africa Brent Bozell III
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South Africa’s decision to expel Israel’s top diplomat, Ariel Seidman, could send a message to other countries, including the United States, that Pretoria will not tolerate public insults or diplomatic breaches.
This, according to international relations expert Professor Christopher Isike of the University of Pretoria, who said the move is one of the strongest non-military tools available to a state and signals a firm defence of sovereignty.
"I would believe that it's also a form of signalling. The South African government is signalling to the incoming US ambassador, for example, that he's not going to come to South Africa and simply insult the country, insult the president, and that this can also happen to him," Isike told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika.
The timing also coincides with the impending arrival of the US’s new ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell. Bozell was sworn in as the United States’ ambassador-designate to South Africa three weeks ago and will officially assume his duties once he presents his credentials to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Bozell has previously criticised the country's government over its foreign policy and economic decisions.
On Friday, South Africa gave Seidman 72 hours to leave the country, accusing him of repeated breaches of diplomatic protocol, including public attacks on President Cyril Ramaphosa and unnotified visits by senior Israeli officials. Israel responded by expelling South Africa’s envoy to Palestine, Shaun Byneveldt, in a reciprocal move.
Isike added that the reciprocal expulsions reflect a deeper diplomatic fracture between South Africa and Israel.
"It is, and it’s not new. It started a long time ago, even before South Africa took Israel to the ICJ. While neither South Africa nor Israel has formally cut all diplomatic ties, this reciprocal expulsion of diplomats does signal a deep diplomatic fracture between the two countries. It might also signal the need for a possible long-term recalibration of bilateral engagement.
"It also reinforces how geopolitical conflicts far from South Africa for example, in Gaza, particularly in the way Palestinians have been treated by the Israeli government continue to impact and shape South Africa’s foreign policy"
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