African Union postpones debate on Israel’s observer status
Al JazeeraChairman Macky Sall says the new committee will work to build consensus on the matter, warns against divisions. The African Union has suspended a debate on whether to withdraw Israel’s accreditation as an observer to the bloc, avoiding a vote that risked creating an unprecedented rift in the 55-member body. As the summit opened in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh urged African leaders to withdraw the accreditation, saying Israel should “never be rewarded for its violation and for the apartheid regime it does impose on the Palestinian people”. In response to the 55-member bloc’s decision, Israel said the African Union “rejected attempts by Algeria and South Africa to revoke the State of Israel’s acceptance as an observer in the organisation”. “This decision corrected the previous individual position of the African Union Chairperson Moussa Faki, and affirmed that African support for the Palestinian cause and the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people will not be drained and will not be affected by any attempts of the Israeli occupation,” their statement said.
History of this topic
African Union says Israel’s observer status suspended
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Israeli diplomat removed from African Union summit
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Palestine urges African Union to revoke Israel’s observer status
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‘Shocking’: South Africa slams Israel’s AU observer status
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Israel granted official observer status at the African Union
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