Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia, Avraham Neguise, was expelled from an African Union conference in Addis Ababa commemorating the Rwandan genocide.
The expulsion occurred after member states reportedly refused to participate in the conference alongside the Israeli representative.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident on Monday.
The ministry also strongly condemned statements made by Mahmoud Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, during the commemoration event.
They described it as “outrageous” that anti-Israel political elements were introduced at an event meant to honor genocide victims, especially after inviting the Israeli ambassador.
Israel had regained observer status at the African Union in July 2021.
This is not the first such incident, as an Israeli diplomat was previously expelled from an AU summit in February 2023.
The recent expulsion comes amidst renewed Israeli military action in Gaza, which began on March 18th and has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties.
The ongoing conflict has led to the International Criminal Court issuing arrest warrants for Israeli leaders and a genocide case being filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice.
