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Friday, January 30, 2026
Israel retaliates in kind after South Africa declares its chargé d’affaires persona non grata
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar declare South Africa’s chargé d’affaires Shaun Edward Byneveldt persona non grata, the foreign ministry says.
The step comes in retaliation for Pretoria announcing earlier today that Israel’s chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman was a persona non grata and had 72 hours to leave the country.
Byneveldt must likewise leave Israel within 72 hours, the foreign ministry says.
“Additional steps will be considered later,” it adds.
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