South African Jews for a Free Palestine (SAJFP) on Friday urged the South African government to immediately sever all diplomatic ties with Israel, alleging hypocrisy that undermines the country’s moral stance.

SAJFP said while it commended the expulsion of Israel's top diplomat Ariel Seidman, it wanted the South African government to act with “full consistency and moral courage”.

Last week, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) declared Seidman persona non grata, ordering him to leave the country.

Dirco cited several "unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms" as grounds for his removal, such as the repeated use of official social media platforms to launch "insulting attacks" against President Cyril Ramaphosa.

While the SAJFP supported Seidman’s expulsion, it said “hypocrisy” undermined South Africa’s moral stance.

“…our government rightly took Israel to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), presenting overwhelming evidence of genocidal acts and intent against the Palestinian people in Gaza. Yet, even as it pursues this historic case, South Africa continues to trade with Israel, implicating itself in the very crimes it prosecutes,” it explained.

The organisation pointed out that since the instituting of a coal embargo against Israel by Columbia, South Africa had become the largest provider of coal to Israel, primarily through Glencore.

It highlighted that the ICJ itself listed coal as a dual-use item, essential for both domestic and military purposes.

“This trade directly contravenes the ICJ’s ruling of July 2024, which ordered States to halt aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

“It also defies the will of the international community, as expressed in the United Nations General Assembly vote calling on States to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation,” said the SAJFP.

The organisation argued that South Africa cannot credibly accuse Israel of genocide at the ICC while fuelling its economy and its conflict with Palestine.

“To do so compromises both our case and our diplomatic stand,” it said.

As a result, the SAJFP wants the government to impose an “immediate and comprehensive” embargo on all trade with Israel, beginning with the cessation of all coal exports.

“It is time to end the farce. It is time to align our actions with our principles, our legal arguments, and our historic duty. South Africa must end all ties with Israel,” it said.

The organisation said expelling Seidman was a “justified assertion” of the country’s dignity.

“However, the cynical response from the South African Zionist Federation (SAZF) - which falsely frames this diplomatic defence of sovereignty as an attack on humanitarian aid - reveals the very contempt for South Africa that made the expulsion necessary,” it added.

The SAJFP hit back at the SAZF’s statement, calling it a “deliberate distraction” from Israel’s criminal actions and its “disdain” for international law and the South African State.

The SAZF described Seidman’s expulsion as an “act of staggering moral bankruptcy”, attacking the African National Congress for “ideological hostility”.