Avraham Neguise, Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia, was removed from the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa after his attempt to participate in a commemoration of the 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda. His attendance was rejected by several AU member states, prompting his removal.
This incident is not the first of its kind. In the past, senior Israeli diplomat Sharon Bar-Li was also removed from the AU’s annual summit in Ethiopia, due to concerns that she was not properly accredited as the ambassador to the host nation.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry condemned the action, expressing disapproval of the incident and stating that the charge d’affaires at South Africa’s embassy would be reprimanded for actions driven by “hate.” However, South Africa rejected these claims, stating the decision was based on a matter of principle, as Israel’s observer status application had not been officially approved by the AU.
WAJ sources reveal that many AU member states refused to attend the ceremony due to İsraeli Ambassador’s presence, with tensions surrounding Israel’s recent actions in Gaza.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry again criticized the AU’s new chairman, Mohamoud Youssouf, amid ongoing solidarity in Africa with the Palestinian cause. Israel, which has been accused of killing and bombing innocent Gazans since the outbreak of violence on October 7, 2023, Israel’s observer status was suspended by the AU in February 2024, the status was unilaterally granted by former AU chairman Musa Mahamat Faki but many member states continue to oppose Israel’s observer member status including the South Africa.