As heads of state from the 55-member African Union met for a two-day summit on Saturday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh urged the African Union to remove Israel’s observer status.
“Israel should never be rewarded for violating international law and imposing an apartheid regime on the Palestinian people,” he stated.
For an organization that promotes agreement, the relationship with Israel is a rare bone of dispute, and it is anticipated to dominate the Addis Ababa summit this weekend.
Last July, the African Union Commission chair, Moussa Faki Mahamat, accepted Israel’s admission to the organization, igniting the conflict.
South Africa, an influential AU member, criticized the decision, claiming that they had not been adequately consulted and violated numerous AU statements, particularly Faki’s support for the Palestinian Territories.
Faki had previously stated that the AU’s support to the Palestinian cause for independence was “unchanging” and “can only get stronger.”
However, he justified his decision, saying it may be “an instrument in the service of peace” and urging a “calm discourse” on the subject.
A vote on whether to support or oppose Faki’s decision could occur during the summit.
The accreditation gave Israeli diplomats a long-awaited success, with the foreign ministry defining the country’s prior exclusion as a “anomaly.”
Israel lost its accreditation when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) was dismantled and replaced by the African Union (AU) in 2002.
The Israeli government blamed the rejection on Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi, who dominated the African Union until he died in 2011.
According to the AU’s website, 72 countries, regional blocs, and organizations have been accredited, including North Korea, the European Union, and UNAIDS.
