AU observer status: What is Israel's African Dream all about?

Ifeoluwa Siddiq Oyelami

Good diplomacy and a firm foreign policy are essential catalysts for a country's political and economic growth. They become critical when the country in question is Israel, a state where alliance plays a vital role in its existence. Thus, since its creation, Israel has been searching for more relevance and friendship around the world. Like many other countries, one of the doors it knocks often is Africa's. On July 20, the Israeli Ambassador presented his credential at African Union headquarters, has the country finally got an AU observer membership status after battling for it for almost two decades. Henceforth, Israel can participate in some of the union's programmes and can also go on to apply for full membership. Whether Israel is geographically African or not is a story for another day, but here, let's see what Israel's African dream is all about.

Journey to AU Observer membership

"Israel is coming back to Africa, and Africa is returning to Israel", Israel's ex-prime minister Netanyahu said in 2016.

In the aftermath of the 1973 Yom Kippur War, many African countries cut ties with Israel based on the Organization of African Unity's resolution. Although Israel would later be granted an observer membership at OAU, this membership got thwarted after the organisation was rebranded as African Union in 2002. However, Israel never intended to give up. It worked hard until it reached a "backdoor membership" last month.

Israel's African dream used to be frustrated by Gadhaffi's Libya, Sudan and the regional powers like Algeria, Nigeria, and South Africa. Now, Algeria is leading a coalition on the continent against Israel's new status. But what does this status mean for Africa? How does it affect the prosperity of Africa? And importantly, what role will this play in Israel's occupation and oppression activities?

Map of Africa showing countries rejecting Israel observer status in African Union

Occupation and oppression

Although Israel is fully recognised by 47 out of 54 African states, they have rarely supported its occupational activities. Most time, they vote against the Israel activities at the United Nations, such that the most favourable state, South Sudan's votes, only coincided with Israel's closest ally-USA's at 50 percentage. Apart from UN votes and press releases, Africa countries have accepted Palestine as an observer member of the AU since 2013. Palestine, in turn, has used this platform to create awareness of its infringed rights.

Since Israel has also become an observer member of AU, this may likely create internal rancour within the continental bloc. More countries may find it difficult to be decisive in their foreign policy. By the way, as Israel loses support in the west, it is more likely that Israel continues to expand its tentacles across the continent, and economic benefits may set in. Thus, many countries will compromise their stand on the Palestinian cause. In the long run, Israel's Africa dream might be a nightmare for the Palestinian cause.

But then, the adverse effects of Israel's Africa expansion are not limited to the Palestinian cause. Africa's economy, security and political stability are also points of reference.

Economy

As the economic significance of Africa becomes apparent by the day, many foreign countries have tried to film their feet on the continent. Israel, which economy is larger than most African countries, also tends to join this rush. In 2017, it had wanted to replicate the model of China, Turkey, the United States, Russia, and the likes, by holding an Israel-Africa summit but cancelled it at the last hour. Netanyahu participated in the ECOWAS summit in the same year and signed a billion-dollar memorandum. All in the quest of breaking the yoke and forcing an expansion of Israel's stake on the continent.

With Israel's observer membership of AU, and maybe subsequent full membership, if that ever happened, the market expansion will be smoother, as many countries, especially the Christian dominated, continue to develop interest and sympathy for it. Israel may further benefit from the yet to be viable free trade in Africa. In any case, local industries, especially in relatively developing countries, will be its prey. Thus, this might explain why some of these countries are tougher towards Israel.

Of course, some Israeli businesses are already well established in Africa for decades. The state has a meaningful stake in Africa's telecommunication, mining, energy, aggrotech and most salient of all, security and defence. It has also severally offered its services on the continent in partnership with the United States, like Obama's "Power-Africa" project.

Security

For some decades now, Israel's intelligence and security technology has gained popularity among African governments. Some have opted for them because of their furtiveness. On the other hand, some Francophone countries have seen it as an alternative to France's domination. A writer for The Africa Report, Mathieu Olivier, called Cameroon "Little Tel Aviv" because Israel totally handles the president's security.

While Israeli foreign intelligence service Mossad has, for years, rendered various (legal and illegal) services to African leaders, the notorious intelligence agency has also been cooperative with rebel groups. The agency, since the 1970s, has played vivid roles in the secession of South Sudan. Coincidentally, last month, Nigeria secret police arrested three Israeli "filmmakers" over contact with members of a proscribed rebel group called IPOB.

In the light of these, Israel's African dream is worthy of discussion around the topic of conflicts in Africa. Apart from its bad human rights record, Israel is basically into mineral resources and ammunitions. Anyone familiar with conflicts in Africa would know how this duo has driven crisis. Then, if a body controls the two at once, more crisis means more money for such a body. So, how trustworthy is Israel as a country?

National Politics

Israel's romance with some of the most notorious African dictators is quite questionable. Most of the "forever presidents" were in contact with Netanyahu during his tenure and will most likely keep this relationship with the present government. One wonders if Israel renders some spying and hacker services to them against local oppositions. Or could this even explain why in 2014, the South African government arrested an Israeli citizen and two Nigerians with $9.3m illegally imported for arms purchase using a jet owned by a pastor loyal to the then Nigerian president?

Israeli companies' spying and hacking activities have become more popular recently, after several world leaders, including the French president, were discovered to be victims all along. With Israel's African dream, these activities will increase on the continent, and it is not healthy for the prosperity of these states.

Conclusion

Having tried to explore the implications of Israel's observer membership of the African Union and what may be born out of it. African Union was born out of solidarity against all forms of colonisation and oppression. The African states have been through a lot, better understand the plights of the Palestinians. Thus, African should not forsake them. African leaders should get to the table, leave behind selfish reasons and bias allegiance. They should review the pros and cons of admitting Israel to their midst.

Hopefully, more countries will join the Algeria-led coalition to expel Israel out of African Union. Otherwise, the union may be heading towards its waterloo for favouring a foreigner over its giants.