BREAKING! Israel Granted Official Observer Status At The AU 

BREAKING! Israel Granted Official Observer Status At The AU 

Israel has been granted observer status at the African Union after nearly two decades of diplomatic attempts (AU).

iexclusive News Nigeria reports that the Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia, Burundi, and Chad Aleli Admasu submitted his credentials to Moussa Faki Mahamat, chairman of the African Union Commission, at the bloc’s headquarters in Addis Ababa on Thursday, making the move official.

In a statement, Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said, “This is a day of celebration for Israel-Africa relations.” Israel has links with 46 African countries.

Israel used to have observer status at the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), but its attempts to reclaim it after the OAU was disbanded in 2002 and replaced with the AU were rebuffed for a long time.

The foreign ministry stated, “This corrects an anomaly that has existed for nearly two decades and is an important aspect of building the fabric of Israel’s foreign ties.”

The formal establishment of Israel’s observer status with the African Union will allow the two parties to work together more closely on a variety of issues, including the fight against the coronavirus and the prevention “of the spread of extremist terrorism” on the continent, according to the statement.

Faki emphasized the AU’s position on the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict in a separate statement, stating that a two-state solution is “essential for peaceful coexistence.”

“[Faki] emphasized that the path to long-term peace and stability necessitates that the peace process and solutions sought not only be acceptable, but also safeguard the rights of all parties,” according to an AU statement.

In May, Faki denounced Israel’s 11-day bombardment of the beleaguered Gaza Strip, as well as Israeli security forces’ attacks on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, stating the Israeli army was acting “in stark violation of international law”.

Statements presented at the AU’s annual meetings frequently include pro-Palestine sentiments.

Last year, Faki used the AU’s main hall to oppose then-US President Donald Trump’s Middle East agenda, eliciting applause when he said it “trampled on the rights of the Palestinian people.”

Palestine already enjoys observer status at the AU, and previous AU pronouncements on the Israeli-Palestinian issue have been criticized by Israeli officials.

Faki’s spokeswoman, Ebba Kalondo, said the AU presently has more than 70 non-African embassies and non-governmental organizations accredited. gathered from several sources

iexclusivenews/enterbiafra