Site icon Middle East Monitor

African Union summit reverses decision on Israel’s observer status, Algeria says

Then-Chairman of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Yasser Arafat addresses in July 1972 in Kampala delegates of the Organisation of African Unity (OUA) [AFP via Getty Images]

Then-Chairman of Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) Yasser Arafat addresses in July 1972 in Kampala delegates of the Organisation of African Unity (OUA) [AFP via Getty Images]

The African Union summit has cancelled a decision to grant Israel an observer status in the pan-African organisation, an Algerian source said on Sunday.

Algeria is participating in the two-day AU summit, which opened in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa, on Saturday.

“The summit decided to abolish the decision to grant Israel an observer status at the AU,” the source in the Algerian delegation was quoted as saying by the private Echorouk TV channel.

“The decision crowned efforts by Algeria and other countries” to cancel the decision, he added.

According to the source, a committee was formed of representatives of Algeria, South Africa, Senegal, Cameroon, DR Congo, Rwanda and Nigeria to make recommendations on the issue to the upcoming AU summit.

READ: Algeria FM: ‘Granting Israel observer status at AU a double mistake’

There was no confirmation yet of the Algerian source’s statements.

In July, Israel announced that its ambassador to Ethiopia, Admasu Al-Ali, had submitted his credentials as an observer member at the AU, which was accepted unilaterally by Moussa Faki Mahamat, the Chairperson of the AU Commission.

Several member states, particularly Algeria and South Africa, protested Mahamat’s decision, noting that they had not been consulted about the move.

READ: Israel must not have a place at the African Union until it ends its occupation of Palestine

Exit mobile version