Pan African Palestine Solidarity Network calls on AU to deny apartheid Israel observer status

The Pan African Palestine Solidarity Network (PAPSN) has accused the African Union (AU) of flouting its foundational values by upholding Apartheid Israel’s observer status. In a statement issued yesterday the organisation said the AU summit had ignored the obligations enshrined in the body’s charter to “fight against apartheid, racism, colonialism and Zionism”.

The PAPSN condemned the “outrageous and unilateral” decision taken by the AU Commission Chair Moussa Faki Mahamet in July 2021 to accredit Israel with observer status.

Sunday’s summit threatened to split the African Union with several states led by South Africa, Algeria and Nigeria opposing the accreditation, while another bloc including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Cameroon supported the move.

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

The PAPSN welcomed the unanimous decision taken at the AU summit to investigate the granting of observer status to Israel. It called upon the committee composed of the presidents of Algeria, Nigeria, South Africa, the DRC, Rwanda, Cameroon and Senegal to uphold the values of the AU charter and reject Israel’s application for observer status.