Algeria calls for expelling Israel from AU 

Algeria has taken vigorous steps with several African countries to revoke Israel’s observer status at the African Union (AU), local media reported on Sunday.

Local El-Waq3 quoted official sources stating that Algiers had officially started forming an African state team to reject a recent decision by the union to grant Israel membership. “So far, Algeria has teamed up with South Africa, Tunisia, Eritrea, Senegal, Tanzania, Niger, Comoros, Gabon, and Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Mali and Seychelles to protest against the decision,” the sources added.

Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra recently asserted that the Algerian diplomacy would not: “Stand silent before a step that was taken by the AU without prior consultations with the member states.”

“The AU’s acceptance of Israel as an observer member aims to strike at the stability of Algeria, which stands with Palestine and just causes,” Lamamra stressed.

Lamamra is due to begin an African visit on Tuesday, including Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.

Israel had previously been granted observer status at the AU before it was revoked in 2002.

READ: The African Union is self-destructing by letting Israel have observer status