SA pushes for African states to boycott Israel meeting in Togo

SOUTH Africa will boycott an upcoming Africa-Israel Summit to be held in Togo in October, the South African Ambassador to Lebanon and Syria, Sean Benfeldt, said yesterday.

Benfeldt described the event as a step to normalise African relations with what he labelled an “occupation state” at a meeting with a delegation from the general secretariat of the Popular Conference of Palestinians Abroad in Beirut.

The ambassador described Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip as inhumane, stressing the need for practical solutions to the ongoing humanitarian suffering of the population in the territory, according to the Palestinian Information Centre.

Benfeldt also adopted the delegation’s proposal to invite ambassadors of African countries in Lebanon to a special meeting soon to talk about boycotting the summit with Israel.

Last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led a delegation of business executives on a tour of Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia and Tanzania.

And this year in June, Netanyahu addressed the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) in Liberia, offering water supplies and its well-developed agricultural technology to counter drought and food scarcity.

However, critics say Israel’s generosity comes at a price: African opposition to UN resolutions critical of Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

Netanyahu is also seeking partners to lobby the AU to grant Israel observer status, which would allow it to influence how African states vote at multilateral institutions such as the UN.

The ANC is planning to seek a common position on the Togo summit among other African countries. – ANA