South Africa is expelling 'israel's' envoy to the country, the foreign affairs ministry announced, accusing the 'israeli' official of engaging in “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms” that challenge South African sovereignty. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said on Friday that it was giving Ariel Seidman, the charge d’affaires at the 'israeli' embassy, 72 hours to leave South Africa after declaring him persona non grata. It accused Seidman of launching “insulting attacks” against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media as well as “a deliberate failure” to inform the ministry “of purported visits by senior 'israeli' officials”. “Such actions represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental breach of the Vienna Convention. They have systematically undermined the trust and protocols essential for bilateral relations,” the department said in a statement. “We urge the 'israeli' Government to ensure its future diplomatic conduct demonstrates respect for the Republic and the established principles of international engagement.” Shamelessly, the announcement drew a rapid response from the 'israeli' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which said it had declared senior South African diplomat, Shaun Edward Byneveldt, persona non grata and was giving him 72 hours to leave the country. “Additional steps will be considered in due course,” the 'israeli' ministry said in a statement shared on social media. Byneveldt is South Africa’s ambassador to the State of Palestine, working out of an office in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, according to a South African government website. Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for South Africa’s foreign affairs ministry, said “'israel's' obstructionism forces a farcical arrangement where [Byneveldt] is accredited through the very state that occupies his host country”. “This underscores 'israel's' refusal to honour international consensus on Palestinian statehood,” Phiri wrote on X. The tit-for-tat diplomatic moves come as tensions have soared between South Africa and 'israel' for months over 'israel's' genocidal war against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. - @dxxthtoisrael