Israeli Ambassador Ejected From African Union Event In Ethiopia Amid Observer Status Dispute

Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Avraham Nigusse, was ejected from an African Union (AU) event this week, sparking diplomatic tension and controversy.

The incident occurred during the annual AU ceremony commemorating the 1994 Rwanda genocide in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

An Israeli official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, said the ambassador’s removal was requested by AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Youssouf.

Nigusse condemned the action on social media, calling it “outrageous” and accusing the AU of injecting “anti-Israel political elements” into the event.

He claimed that his attendance was at Rwanda’s invitation and said the decision showed a “fundamental misunderstanding of the histories of both the Rwandan and Jewish peoples.”

Chairperson Youssouf, who began his four-year term in February and is a former foreign minister of Djibouti, has not commented publicly on the matter.

A diplomat at the AU explained that the ambassador was removed due to Israel’s suspended observer status with the organization.

Israel had regained observer status in 2021 after a 20-year hiatus, but that status was put on hold again in 2023, pending a review by a committee of African heads of state a verdict that has yet to be delivered.

A similar incident occurred in 2023 when another Israeli diplomat was removed from the AU summit for lacking proper accreditation.

The African Union has historically supported the Palestinian cause and frequently includes Palestinian leaders in its summits.

The latest diplomatic spat comes amid heightened tensions following Israel’s renewed military offensive in Gaza, which began after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

Gaza health officials claim over 50,000 Palestinians have died since then.

South Africa, a prominent AU member, has filed a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, accusing it of genocide. Israel has strongly denied the allegations.