“Show Courage”: Malema Pushes Ramaphosa to Close Israeli Embassy

• EFF leader Julius Malema has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to close Israel’s embassy in South Africa
• Speaking during the SONA debate in Cape Town, Malema called for decisive action, noting that South Africa had already declared Israel’s representative persona non grata
• The EFF has consistently opposed Israel’s policies, framing the call to sever diplomatic ties as a stand against what they describe as occupation and injustice in Palestine

CAPE TOWN- EFF leader Julius Malema has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to close Israel’s embassy in South Africa.

Speaking during the debate on Ramaphosa’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) in Cape Town on 18 February 2026, Malema named longstanding tensions between South Africa and Israel over the latter’s policies in the Palestinian territories.

“We call on you to show courage by closing the Israeli Embassy, in line with this National Assembly’s resolution. You declared their representative persona non grata, and the skies did not fall. It is time to cut ties with this genocidal nation."

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Malema further stated that the USA sent a blatant racist as its diplomat here.

"We must assert our right to refuse cooperation with someone whose sole aim is to dictate our foreign policy,” Malema said.

The EFF have long been vocal of their policy that stands against Israel and its occupation of Palestine.

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The EFF has previously backed Iran’s right to defend itself against Israel, saying Tehran was under siege from Western powers and strongly criticising the United States and its allies for their role in the conflict. His comments, made while speaking in Vryheid, KwaZulu‑Natal, sparked a wave of reaction online, with social media users sharply divided over his stance. Supporters praised Malema’s solidarity with Iran, while critics argued his position was inappropriate and controversial given South Africa’s foreign policy and the broader Middle East conflict.

Articles on SA-Israel tensions

Israel declared South African diplomat Shaun Edward Byneveldt persona non grata and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours in retaliation for South Africa expelling Israel’s chargé d’affaires over diplomatic disputes. The move followed Pretoria’s decision to declare Israeli chargé d’affaires Ariel Seidman persona non grata after accusing him of violating diplomatic norms and publicly criticising South Africa’s president. The reciprocal expulsions highlight deepening tensions between the two governments amid broader disagreements over foreign policy and the conflict in the Middle East.

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South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) has declared Israel’s chargé d’affaires, Ariel Seidman, persona non grata, accusing him of breaching diplomatic norms and disrespecting President Cyril Ramaphosa, and ordered him to leave the country within 72 hours. Hours after the announcement, Israel responded by declaring South Africa’s senior diplomatic representative persona non grata in a reciprocal step, deepening the diplomatic rift between the two nations.

Briefly News also reported that Malema confirmed that King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo is no longer a member of the Economic Freedom Fighters after his controversial visit to Israel and statements perceived as supportive of the country’s position, which conflicted with the party’s staunch pro‑Palestinian stance. Malema said the king’s actions put him outside the EFF’s organisational policy, effectively ending his membership, though he emphasised the party’s continued respect for the AbaThembu royal family as a whole.

Source: Briefly News