US condemns South Africa over expulsion of Israeli diplomat

The United States on Tuesday condemned South Africa’s decision to expel Israel’s top diplomat last week, with a State Department spokesperson calling the move part of prioritising “grievance politics.”

“Expelling a diplomat for calling out the African National Congress party’s ties to Hamas and other antisemitic radicals prioritises grievance politics over the good of South Africa and its citizens,” State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said on X.

South Africa’s embassy in Washington had no immediate comment.

On Friday, South Africa declared the top diplomat at Israel’s embassy persona non grata and ordered him out within 72 hours. The foreign ministry accused him of “unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice,” including insulting South Africa’s president.

Israel responded by expelling South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative.

Relations between Israel and South Africa have been strained since South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice in 2024 over its assault on Gaza. Multiple rights groups, experts and scholars have also called Israel’s assault a genocide. Israel denies that and has named its actions self-defence following an October 2023 Hamas attack.

The genocide case has also contributed to US President Donald Trump’s attacks on Pretoria, including verbal criticism, trade sanctions and an executive order last year cutting US funding.

SOURCE: Reuters