The African Union (AU) move to award Israel “observer status” has irked South Africa, which has described the development as “shocking” and “appalling”.
“The government of South Africa is appalled at the unjust and unwarranted decision of the AU Commission to grant Israel observer status in the African Union,” said the international relations and cooperation department (Dirco) in a statement.
Last week on Thursday, 22 July, the AU granted Israel observer status. One of the most important impacts of this move is diplomatic.
South Africa has frosty relations with Israel over that country’s unjust treatment of Palestinians.
“The African Union Commission has taken this decision unilaterally without consultations with its members,” complained Dirco on Wednesday.
“The decision to grant Israel observer status is even more shocking in a year in which the oppressed people of Palestine were hounded by destructive bombardments and continued illegal settlements of the land.”
In the statement issuded by spokesperson Clayson Monyela, Dirco said the AU was on record “strenuously objecting” to the deaths of Palestinians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure.
“The decision by the AU Commission in this context is inexplicable,” said Dirco.
“The unjust actions committed by Israel offend the letter and spirit of the Charter of the African Union.”
The AU embodies the aspirations of all Africans and reflects their confidence that it can lead the continent through the practical expression of the goals of the Charter, especially on issues relating to self-determination and decolonisation.
“Israel continues to illegally occupy Palestine in complete defiance of its international obligations and relevant UN resolutions,” said Dirco.
“It is therefore incomprehensible that the AU Commission chooses to reward Israel at a time when its oppression of Palestinians has been demonstrably more brutal.”
Dirco said South African will ask the chairperson of the commission to provide a briefing to all member states on this decision.
“South Africa firmly believes that as long as Israel is not willing to negotiate a peace plan without preconditions it should not have observer status in the AU,” said Dirco.
“The AU cannot be a party in any way to plans and actions that would see the ideal of Palestinian statehood reduced into balkanised entities devoid of true sovereignty, without territorial contiguity and with no economic viability.”
Israel enjoyed observer status in the predecessor of the AU, the Organization of African Unity until 2002.
The Israeli foreign ministry has been working towards getting observer status for the last eight months and reportedly enjoyed support of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chad.
Israel’s Aliza Bin Noun, a former ambassador to Hungary and France who now heads the Africa division, said: “I am very pleased that Israel is back to the African continent by means of becoming an observer state to the African Union”.
Speaking to the Al-Monitor, Bin Noun said: “We are hoping to establish cooperation in a variety of fields such as economic development, fighting global terrorism, battling the coronavirus pandemic, health systems, smart agriculture and much more.
“This goes to show that Israel has a past in Africa, has a present and also has a great future ahead of it in the continent.”
