Ebrahim Rasool, the former South African ambassador whom the Trump administration recently declared persona non grata, has returned to South Africa. When he arrived, he was given a hero’s welcome. As diplomatic staff of the Emirates, until now Rasool had enjoyed a degree of immunity under international law. Senator Marco Rubio announced this foreshadowing. He attacked Rasool as a “race-baiting politician” who, he claimed, hates the US and former President Trump.
Rasool sounded off on the declaration for the first time publicly in a late night victory speech to supporters through a megaphone. He referred to the persona non grata designation as a retaliatory play meant to embarrass him.
"A declaration of persona non grata is meant to humiliate you," Rasool stated, making clear his position on the matter.
Rasool ignited an international firestorm with his remarks on a webinar convened by a South African think tank. His expulsion was not far behind. That event was later reported on the world by the very conservative-oriented Breitbart news aggregation website—which Rubio had subsequently cited in his press releases.
Rasool’s intent was to explain that he did not want to be anti-American in his speech.
"We don't come here to say we are anti-American," he assured. "We are not here to call on you to throw away our interests with the United States."
The high-level diplomatic tension on this issue is a part of much larger geopolitical realities for South Africa. In exciting news, on 5 December 2023, South Africa filed an audacious legal challenge against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The charge? Israel is reportedly committing genocide by carrying out a prolonged war with Gaza. The coincidence of these events further complicates a still fragile international thaw in the region.
