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Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh calls on AU to reverse its resolution to grant Israel observer standing within the pan-African organisation.
Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh urged the African Union to withdraw Israel’s accreditation, bringing simmering tensions to a head because the 55-member bloc opened a two-day summit in Ethiopia.
Even because the continent reels from a spate of army coups and the coronavirus pandemic, the connection with Israel was anticipated to determine prominently in the course of the summit that began on Saturday.
The dispute was set in movement final July when Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Fee, accepted unilaterally Israel’s accreditation to the bloc, triggering a uncommon dispute inside a physique that values consensus.
As heads of state gathered in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, Shtayyeh known as on the physique to reject Mahamat’s transfer.
“Israel ought to by no means be rewarded for its violation and for the apartheid regime it does impose on the Palestinian individuals,” he stated.
“Your excellencies, I’m sorry to report back to you that the scenario of the Palestinian individuals has solely grown extra precarious. The choice to grant Israel an observer standing is a reward that [Tel Aviv] doesn’t deserve, and we name for this resolution to be withdrawn.”
Israel beforehand held observer standing on the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), however was lengthy thwarted in its makes an attempt to get it again after the OAU was disbanded in 2002 and changed by the AU.
Israel’s accreditation in July final 12 months drew fast protest from highly effective members, together with South Africa and Algeria, which argued it flew within the face of AU statements supporting the occupied Palestinian territories.
On the time, Israeli Overseas Minister Yair Lapid famous Israel has relations with 46 African nations.
“This can be a day of celebration for Israel-Africa relations. This corrects the anomaly that has existed for nearly twenty years and is a crucial a part of strengthening the material of Israel’s international relations,” stated Lapid.
‘Double mistake’
In an interview with Radio France Worldwide and France 24 satellite tv for pc channel forward of the weekend summit, Algerian Overseas Minister Ramtane Lamamra slammed the AU resolution to grant Israel observer standing as a “double mistake”.
“That is dangerous for the organisation,” Lamamra stated, warning it “could jeopardise the solidarity that should exist between member states”.
The summit is scheduled to debate Israel’s request for observer standing after a call on the difficulty was postponed by the AU Govt Council.
Earlier Saturday, Mahamat stated the AU’s dedication to the Palestinian push for independence was “unchanging and may solely proceed to go stronger”.
He defended Israel’s accreditation, nevertheless, saying it could possibly be “an instrument within the service of peace”, whereas calling for “a serene debate” on the difficulty.
The Jerusalem Submit reported on Saturday that Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana had been additionally among the many nations towards Israel’s standing.
“Most nations are completely satisfied that we’re there, however some had been against the method,” an unnamed Israeli diplomatic supply instructed the newspaper.
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