A new setback for Netanyahu Politics

The thirty-eighth African Summit in Addis Ababa, which was held last month, saw the African leaders a strict position towards Israel, debating its attacks against Gaza, describing it as a “genocide” and calling for arresting all forms of cooperation with the end of the occupation.

The closing declaration has also confirmed the refusal of the forced displacement of the Palestinians, while stressing the solution to two states as a single way of peace, which reflects the historic commitment of Africa to support the Palestinian cause, despite Israel’s attempts to improve its influence on the continent.

This African position came as a setback for Israel despite the great American pressure that it exerted on the brown continent, where Washington has exerted significant pressure on a certain number of African capitals to prevent serious decisions against Israel, in particular thanks to the threat of reducing economic aid to certain countries, and to push them not to take climbing positions in international forums.

However, African countries have shown remarkable diplomatic cohesion because they have refused to comply with Western dictates and underlined their independent position, which reflects a change in the balance of power and the desire of the continent to adopt decisions in accordance with their principles against colonialism and racist separation.

Decisions are made in the African Union, which includes 54 countries, thanks to the Union conference, which is held each year in February and includes heads of state and governments, where decisions are made unanimous or by a majority with two thirds. The Executive Council, made up of foreign ministers, plays a role in writing policies and raising them for approval.

History of relations between Africa and Israel

Relations between Israel and Africa have experienced radical transformations in recent decades, as Israel has sought, since the 1950s and 1960s, to improve its presence on the continent, taking advantage of many African countries to obtain independence.

Israel has established diplomatic links with countries like Ghana and Liberia, and has participated in development projects, in particular in the fields of agriculture, technology and education. He also provided support for a number of African liberation movements, with the aim of obtaining a political influence within the continent and ensuring his support for international forums.

However, this rapprochement experienced a bright setback after the war of October 1973, while the Arab oil embargo and the diplomatic pressures led by the League of Arab States cut most African countries to reduce their relations with Israel, which led to the collapse of Israeli influence on the continent.

However, this isolation did not last long, because the 1993 Oslo Agreement represented a turning point, while Israel began to restore its relations with a certain number of African countries, taking advantage of the international opening which accompanied the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations.

After having signed the Oslo Agreement between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel, a conviction appeared among certain African countries that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is on the way to diplomatic regulations, which led him to reassess his relations with Israel.

Consequently, many African countries, especially in the west and east of the continent, have restored diplomatic relations with Israel, focusing on cooperation in the fields of agriculture, technology and security.

Israel has benefited from this trend to improve its existence, because it has worked to provide technical support and training in several strategic sectors in Africa.

In recent years, diplomatic relations have increased between Israel and Africa because Tel Aviv has official relations with 40 African countries out of 54, and manages 10 active embassies on the continent, including eminent countries such as: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Cameroon.

The recent wave of Arabic normalization, in particular after the Abraham (2020) agreements, played a role in strengthening this expansion, because the Arab countries which have a relationship with Israel have encouraged certain African governments to strengthen cooperation with them in the fields of security, investment and agriculture.

Despite these developments, many African countries are still conservative to strengthen their relations with Israel; Due to his commitment to support the Palestinian issue.

The countries which have suffered from colonialism and racist separation, like South Africa, lead the position rejecting the strengthening of relations with Israel, considering that Israeli policies towards the Palestinians reflect the practices of apartheid that the continent has witnessed in the past. This division makes the relationship between Israel and Africa a hostage between economic interests and political and historical considerations.

Establish tensions after the war against Gaza

Relations between Israel and the African Union experienced a strong escalation after the Israeli attack on Gaza in October 2023, which led to tens of thousands of civilian victims and generalized infrastructure, including hospitals, schools and roads.

This aggression aroused generalized dissatisfaction in Africa, where many countries have published solid declarations of condemnation, renewing their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their rejection of Israeli policies.

This situation was not surprising, but rather an extension of an increasing African rejection of Israeli penetration on the continent. In February 2023, during the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, the Israeli delegation was expelled after strong objections from South Africa, Algeria and Nigeria, which constituted a major diplomatic blow to Israel inside the continent, and led to the withdrawal of the observer he had obtained in 2021.

Despite Israel’s attempts to improve its presence in Africa through investment and development projects, these efforts collide with political and moral considerations firmly in the African position.

The continent has remained faithful to its militant history against colonialism and the racist chapter, considering the Palestinian question an extension of its struggle for freedom and justice, which strengthens its adoption of firm positions against Israeli occupation, regardless of potential economic interests.

Causes of the tense relationship

Despite growing Israeli investments in Africa and Tel Aviv is trying to improve their influence thanks to projects in agriculture, technology, security and infrastructure, many African countries are still taking critical positions towards Israeli policies, in particular with regard to the Palestinian issue.

Israel focused on the development of irrigation and solar technologies, to develop communication and artificial intelligence projects, as well as the sale of surveillance and weapons systems to certain African governments. It has also invested in infrastructure and health services to extend its regional partnerships.

But these economic efforts have failed to make a fundamental change in the positions of African countries, for several reasons, the most important of which are:

This heritage improves the feeling of deep solidarity with the Palestinians, who are faced with similar situations due to colonialism and the racial repression that the people of the continent suffered.

This perspective was obvious in country posts like South Africa, which described the Israeli occupation as a “new racist separation system”, which prompted it to put legal action before the International Court of Justice against Israel for “genocide” in Gaza.

• Popular and civil solidarity with Palestine has increased

Popular awareness in Africa has developed considerably, which led to the climbing of solidarity and boycott campaigns against Israel.

In countries such as South Africa and Nigeria, recent years have experienced the organization of generalized demonstrations and events that have supported the rights of Palestinians and have denounced Israeli violations.

Consequently, popular pressure has become a major factor that forces African governments to adopt firm positions towards Israel, despite the possible economic advantages of cooperation with it.

• Geopolitical balance and reduce dependence to the west

Africa witnesses a growing transition to the diversification of its international alliances, because it strengthens its relations with the world powers such as China and Russia, which reduces its dependence on Western countries which provide unconditional support in Israel.

This change gives African countries a broader political space to adopt independent positions in accordance with their strategic interests, without undergoing Western pressure.

In this context, Russia and China generally support international decisions to condemn Israeli policies, which provides diplomatic support to African countries in the adoption of more striking positions towards such Aviv.

Why remains standardization with Israel with limited influence?

Despite Israel’s attempts to improve its presence in Africa thanks to investments and economic cooperation, F.AThis normalization is still limited, because Israeli efforts collide with the political and historical considerations of African countries.

In addition, some African countries seek to strengthen their alliances with international powers competing for the West, such as China and Russia, which gives them a broader political space to adopt more independent positions in international issues, including the Palestinian issue.

African countries play a leading role in this area, in particular:

• South Africa: He conducted unprecedented legal measures against Israel to bring legal action before the International Court of Justice in December 2023, accusing Israel of having committed a genocide in Gaza. The court has made emergency orders calling for the cessation of military operations and allowing the entry of humanitarian aid.
• Algeria: He played a leading role in the preventing Israel from obtaining an observer in the African Union, because he denounced the decision rendered in July 2021, and led the efforts to cooperate with South Africa and Nigeria to suspend the decision in February 2023. The Algerian president Abdel -Ajid Taboun stressed that any rapprochement with Israel depends on the establishment of an independent Palpitian state.

Although Israel has succeeded in establishing diplomatic relations with 40 African countries out of 54, the impact of this normalization remains limited, because it appeared in the firm position of the last African summit.

African countries, despite economic interests, still see in Israel an occupying state of apartheid policies against the Palestinians, which weakens their diplomatic efficiency within the continent.

While Israel seeks to improve its existence, Africa remains an international balance, where historical positions and new alliances play a major role in determining the future of Afro-Israeli relations.