Israeli Ambassador To Ethiopia Kicked Out Of An AU Function. Full Details

Israel’s envoy to Ethiopia has called the expulsion from an African Union summit this week “extremely unpleasant.”

In an interview on Wednesday, April 9, an Israeli official disclosed that Mahmoud Youssouf, the chairperson of the AU Commission, had requested that they be excluded from the yearly commemoration honoring the Rwandan tragedy of 1994. Since the official was not authorized to speak to a journalist, they spoke on condition of anonymity.

Avraham Nigusse, the official, wrote on social media:

“The new African Union Commission chairperson chose to introduce anti-Israel political elements,” the ambassador. It reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the histories of both the Rwandan and Jewish peoples,” he added, saying Rwanda had invited him.

This has not been commented by Youssouf’s spokeswoman, a former Djiboutian foreign minister. This February, Youssouf began his four-year AU term.

Israel’s ambassador was dismissed, according to a diplomat who was also present at the AU on Wednesday, since they were no longer considered observers at the continental organization, which is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Since the diplomat was not authorized to speak to press, they spoke on condition of anonymity.

As Jerusalem pursued deeper connections with African countries, Israel reclaimed its observer status at the AU in 2021, twenty years after it had been revoked due to its conflict with the Palestinians. But in 2023, the observer status was once more put on hold while a committee of African heads of state reviewed it.

They have not yet rendered a decision. Due to improper accreditation, a senior Israeli diplomat was expelled from the AU’s annual meeting in 2023.

Mahama Urges Heads Of State To Secure Reparations For Africans

With close relations to the Palestinians, the pan-African organization frequently invites their leaders to speak at important events.

Israel restarted its military attack in Gaza last month after breaking a ceasefire. More over 50,000 Palestinians have died since the battle with Hamas began with the militant group’s strike on Israel on October 7, 2023, according to the territory’s Health Ministry.

A well-known AU member, South Africa, has filed a complaint against Israel in the International Court of Justice, alleging that it committed genocide while conducting military operations in Gaza. Israel has branded the accusations “ludicrous” and refuted them.