Israel has hit back at South Africa in a sharp diplomatic move, ordering South Africa’s senior representative to the Palestinian Authority, Minister Shaun Edward Byneveldt, to leave within 72 hours.

The decision marks a clear escalation in the already tense relationship between Pretoria and Tel Aviv, with both sides now trading expulsions and public statements.

Israel’s Message: 72 Hours and a Warning

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar made the call after what it described as South Africa’s “false attacks” against Israel in the international arena, as well as South Africa’s move against Israel’s chargé d’affaires in Pretoria.

Israel also warned that “further steps will follow”, signalling that the expulsion may not be the last action if the dispute deepens.

Who is Shaun Byneveldt and Why His Role Matters

Byneveldt is South Africa’s ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, based in Ramallah. That posting is politically loaded, especially in the middle of an already heated global fight over Gaza and the wider Israel-Palestine conflict.

South Africa has previously positioned itself as strongly pro-Palestinian, and Israel’s decision to remove Pretoria’s senior representative to the Palestinian Authority lands right in that pressure point.

Pretoria’s Response: “Farcical Arrangement”

Chrispin Phiri, spokesperson for Minister Ronald Lamola, said Israel’s stance creates what he called a “farcical arrangement”, because South Africa’s representative to Palestine is forced to be accredited through the state occupying the territory.

That comment underlines what this fight is really about: legitimacy, diplomatic access and who gets to set the rules of engagement.

Practically, this kind of tit-for-tat shrinks the space for quiet diplomacy. It also raises the risk of more formal downgrades, tighter restrictions on diplomats or harder lines in international forums. For South Africans watching from home, it is less about day-to-day impact right now and more about where the relationship goes if both sides keep doubling down.