Libya and six Arab States oppose Israel’s entry to the African Union 

Egypt, Algeria, the Comoros, Tunisia, Djibouti, Mauritania, and Libya have opposed to Israel’s application for observer membership in the African Union via “Memorandum Verbale of the Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union, Moussa Faki” in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

“On 22 July, Israel’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Idmaso Al – Ahly, announced his credentials as an observer member of the African Union,” without stating underlying reasons.

According to the statement, the Israeli application was not examined in line with the Federation rules, “which was an unacceptable procedural and political override,” and it “officially opposes to its approval and asks that it be included for debate.”

Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, Palestine, and the Arab League mission in Addis Abeba all expressed support with the seven embassies on this issue.

The Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on July 25 declaring its reluctance to recognize Israel as the Federation’s new observer, emphasizing that the decision had been “made without consultation.”

A meeting of the African Union’s Executive Council of Foreign Ministers is planned for next October to consider the objection and rejection memorandum.

To yet, neither the governments of those countries, nor Israel or the African Union, have commented on the publishing of the objection letter.

Only six Arab states, namely Egypt, Jordan, the Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan, and Morocco, have established diplomatic ties with Israel.

African-Israeli relations have been strained since the 1960s, against the background of the emergence of national liberation movements in Africa and the development of the Arab-Israeli conflict.