African Union girds for fight over relationship with Israel

The African Union appears set for an internal clash over its relationship with Israel at a summit this weekend, a rare point of contention for a bloc that values consensus.

The dispute was set in motion last July when Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, accepted Israel’s accreditation to the 55-member body headquartered in Addis Ababa — handing Israeli diplomats a victory they had been chasing for nearly two decades.

Powerful AU member states, notably South Africa, quickly spoke out in protest, saying they had not been properly consulted and that the move contradicted numerous AU statements, including from Faki himself, supporting the Palestinians.

Foreign ministers failed to resolve the issue at a meeting last October, and South Africa and Algeria have placed it on the agenda of a summit for heads of state that kicks off Saturday, according to AU documents seen by AFP.

Despite a long list of pressing issues including the coronavirus pandemic and a spate of recent coups, analysts expect the Israel question to get a lengthy hearing at the summit, which is marking the 20th anniversary of the AU’s founding.

There could also be a vote on whether to back or reject Faki’s decision.