In a dramatic diplomatic incident, the Israeli ambassador to Ethiopia was expelled from the African Union headquarters in the capital, Addis Ababa, during the Union’s annual meeting.
This decision followed strong objections from several member states of the Union, which refused to permit the Israeli ambassador to attend the meeting amid rising African anger over Israeli policies towards Palestinians, particularly in light of the ongoing aggression against Gaza.
The incident started when the Israeli ambassador attempted to attend one of the Union’s sessions, but faced strong opposition from African representatives who considered his presence provocative under these sensitive political circumstances. After heated discussions, the Israeli diplomat was forced to leave the hall under tight security.
This incident happened within the context of strained relations between the occupying state and the African Union, despite Israel being granted “observer” status in July 2021 after two decades of diplomatic efforts.
The granting of this status sparked widespread controversy at the time, with countries like South Africa and Algeria objecting to the decision, arguing that it contradicted the Union’s stance in support of Palestinian rights.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time an Israeli representative has been expelled from an African Union event, as Israeli diplomat Sharon Bar-Lee was removed during an attempt to attend a session in February 2023.