The Israeli delegation at the 2023 annual African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia has been kicked out of the summit over wat the AU said was a case of the delegation entering a closed-door meeting without proper accreditation.
Reuters reported that Ebba Kalondo, the spokesperson for the African Union’s commission chairman, said the diplomat had been removed because she was not the duly accredited Israeli ambassador to Ethiopia, the official who was expected.
Also read; ELECTION: How to check your polling unit, code online
Diplomatic sources said two representatives from Israel were removed from a meeting after it was found their badges were invalid.
The EastAfrican reported that a diplomatic source told its correspondents that the delegation had “sneaked in with fake badges.”
Israel however blamed the incident on South Africa and Algeria, two key nations in the AU, saying they were holding the AU hostage and were driven by “hate.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the charge d’affaires at South Africa’s embassy would be summoned for a reprimand.
“Israel views seriously the incident in which the deputy for Africa, Ambassador Sharon Bar-Li, was removed from the African Union hall despite her status as an accredited observer with access badges,” said ministry spokesperson Lior Hayat.
“It is sad to see that the African Union has been taken hostage by a small number of extremist countries such as Algeria and South Africa, driven by hatred and controlled by Iran,” Hayat said.
Videos on seen on Twitter shows the Israelis, led by Foreign Ministry Deputy Director General for Africa Sharon Bar-Li, leaving after several minutes of discussion.
The #Israeli Diplomat #AU asked to leave. Some AU member countries have objected to Israel being granted observer status at the AU. pic.twitter.com/OJvy43lorC
— Sophie Mokoena (@Sophie_Mokoena) February 19, 2023
South Africa rejected the claim, saying Israel’s application for observer status at the AU has not been decided upon by the bloc.
“Until the AU takes a decision on whether to grant Israel observer status, you cannot have the country sitting and observing,” Clayson Monyela, head of public diplomacy in South Africa’s department of international relations, told Reuters.
Asked about Israel’s accusations that South Africa and Algeria were behind the move, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya told AFP at the summit: “They must substantiate their claim.”
“So, it’s not about South Africa or Algeria, it’s an issue of principle.”
South Africa’s ruling party has historically been a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause.
Israel, once a valid Observer State, left the AU back in 2002 but has been seeking to return especially since Palestine has been Observer state at AU since 2013.
Being an Observer state means the country can’t have a vote at the AU, but grants its diplomats a chance to join in high-level events and lobby for a positive policy.
In 2022, Moussa Faki Mahamat, the AU Commission Chairperson, tabled the proposal to admit Israel as an Observer. However, South Africa and Algeria opposed the move, accusing Israel of discriminating against Palestinians.
A committee was set up to evaluate the proposal and give its recommendations at this year’s summit.
The six-member committee was to have included South Africa and Algeria, who opposed Faki’s move to accredit Israel, as well as Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who supported it.
Cameroon also asked to be on the committee, while South Africa requested the inclusion of Nigeria as well, diplomats said at the time.
“The issue was given to a committee of Heads of State to deliberate,” Ebba Kalondo, Mr Faki’s Spokesperson, was reported as saying earlier this week.
“The decision is now up to the Heads of State to pronounce itself on the issue.”
The African Union Summit was to decide whether Israel was to be confirmed as an Observer, so it is possible that the delegation was attending before actual confirmation. The AU Summit is expected to make an announcement on the matter in a communique expected on Sunday.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
