African Union suspends decision to grant observer status to “Israel”

ALGERIA/ ADDIS ABABA , Feb.6 (ST)_ The African Union Summit unanimously votes on suspending “Israel’s” observer status, and forms a committee made of seven heads of state, including Algeria, according to agencies.

 

The decision, which was adopted unanimously by the Summit of the African Union’s Head of State and Government, suspended the AU’s Former Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat’s 22 July decision to grant “Israel” observer status in the AU, and to establish a committee comprised of seven African heads of state to present recommendations to the summit, under whose jurisdiction the case will remain.

 

Meanwhile, one of the diplomats told AFP: “The Israel question has been suspended for now and instead there will be a committee set up to study the issue.”

 

The row broke out last July when Moussa Faki Mahamat, chair of the African Union Commission, accepted Israel’s accreditation to the bloc, triggering a rare dispute within a body that values consensus.

 

On Saturday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh urged the annual summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to withdraw Israel’s accreditation, bringing simmering tensions to a head.

 

“Israel should never be rewarded for its violation and for the apartheid regime it does impose on the Palestinian people,” he said.

 

Compiled by: Basma Qaddour