New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- South Africa ordered Israel's deputy ambassador to leave the country within 72 hours on Friday, accusing him of undermining relations between the countries with social media posts that insulted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and violating diplomatic protocols.

The South African Foreign Ministry said that it was expelling Ariel Seidman, the charge d'affaires at the Israeli Embassy, and declared him persona non grata - a diplomatic term indicating the person is no longer welcome in a country.

Seidman is the most senior Israeli diplomatic figure in South Africa after Israel recalled its ambassador in 2023.

Hours later, Israel's Foreign Ministry said on X that it was expelling a senior South African diplomat,...