Nigeria, Jan. 31 -- South Africa and Israel have expelled each other's top diplomats in what is the latest diplomatic row between the two countries.

It began with South Africa accusing Israel's envoy of insulting its president and violating protocol, and Israel retaliating by expelling South Africa's senior diplomat.

In a statement issued on Friday, South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation accused the charge d'affaires at the Israeli embassy, Ariel Seidman, of using social media platforms to attack its president, Cyril Ramaphosa, and inviting Israeli officials to the country without permission.

It said, "Such actions represent a gross abuse of diplomatic privilege and a fundamental breach of the Vienna Conve...