South Africa’s objection to AU Commission stance on Israel supported
#Africa4Palestine said it agreed with South Africa that the decision was unjust, unwarranted and dubious given that it was taken unilaterally without consulting African Union member states.
PRETORIA, July 29 (ANA) – Human rights organisation #Africa4Palestine has welcomed South Africa’s condemnation and objection to the African Union Commission’s decision to allow Israeli ambassador in Ethiopia Aleli Admasu observer status at the continental body.
The African Union Commission (AUC), based in Ethiopia’s capital Addis Ababa, is the AU’s secretariat and undertakes the day to day activities of the union.
“#Africa4Palestine agrees with the SA government that the decision is unjust and unwarranted and, furthermore, is dubious given that it was taken unilaterally without consultations of members,” the organisation’s executive director Muhammed Desai said in a statement.
“We are working with our partners in the South African government and civil society as well as allies in other African countries to ensure that this unilateral, irregular and improper decision is immediately halted and reversed.”
Desai said South Africa had played a significant role in the cancellation of the Africa-Israel summit which had been meant to take place in Togo in 2017.
“We fully support the South African government in their demand that the chairperson of the commission provide a briefing to all member states and for an urgent discussion by the executive council and the assembly of heads of states and government,” he added.
He noted that AU Commission chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat had condemned Israeli attacks earlier this year which left over 230 Palestinians including more than 60 children and three pregnant women dead, saying the Israeli army’s actions were “in stark violation of international law”.
“Israel has not ended its violations of international law, and so, we wonder what Israel has bribed the AU Commission chairperson with, to now change his posture and provide Israel with a free pass,” Desai added, pointing out that South Africa’s previous apartheid regime had not been allowed into international bodies until it ended its violations of human rights.
“Similarly, Israel should not be allowed into the AU or any other body until it ends its violations of international law.”
On Wednesday, spokesperson for South Africa’s department of international relations and cooperation (Dirco) Clayson Monyela said the AU Commission had taken its decision without consulting AU members.
Monyela said the decision was “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. The African Union strenuously objected to the deaths of Palestinians and the destruction of civilian infrastructure”.
Last week, Admasu, who is Israeli’s ambassador not just to Ethiopia but also Burundi and Chad, presented his credentials to Faki in Addis Ababa.
The AU Commission has not publicly responded to criticism of its granting Israel observer status.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Stella Mapenzauswa