Guest; Goodenough Mashego -Independent Political analyst 

South Africa’s showdown with Israel has spilled into Washington’s corridors of power, where the Trump administration weighs punishing Pretoria without severing ties.

Analysts warn exclusion from the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) and targeted sanctions against outspoken leaders could follow, yet the US is unlikely to risk a full diplomatic rupture.

At the heart of the clash lies South Africa’s defiant stand at the International Court of Justice and its parliament’s vote to shut Israel’s embassy – moves that have turned a bilateral spat into a test of international law, trade politics and moral resolve.

Independent political analyst Sandile Swana said the US might sanction ANC officials, as well as some anti-US and anti-Israel leaders such as EFF’s Julius Malema and those from Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe party.

“I do not expect them to issue blanket sanctions against South Africa. But they will target individuals,” Swana said.

He said the US didn’t want to impose blanket sanctions because such action would also hurt the white population.

In a diplomatic spat, South Africa declared Israeli chargé d’affaires to South Africa Ariel Seidman a persona non grata, giving him 72 hours to leave the country.

In retaliation, Israel did the same with South Africa’s ambassador to Palestine, Shaun Edward Byneveldt. “For Israel to expel a foreign ambassador from a neighbouring sovereign nation is against international law,” said Mashego.

“The South African ambassador submitted his credentials to the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, rather than to Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“By law, Israel should not have the right to expel an ambassador of another country.”

The Israeli chargé d’affaires allegedly violated diplomatic protocol by insulting President Cyril Ramaphosa on social media on a few occasions in response to the president’s statement that sanctions do not work.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/politics/south-africas-israel-stance-risks-agoa-fallout/