Cabinet has described as unjust and unilateral the decision the Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) to grant Israel observer status in the African Union (AU).

“The AU is the legitimate representative of all African member States that should be consulted on such decisions,” said Acting Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, on Thursday.

The Minister was updating the nation on decisions of the Cabinet meeting held yesterday.

According to Cabinet, the AU embodies the aspirations of all Africans and carries the mark of confidence in its leadership of the African peoples.

“Therefore, it should endeavour to take decisions which are not in conflict with the principles of the AU Charter,” Ntshavheni said.

The Executive believes that the continued occupation of Palestine by Israel remains totally “unjust and shameful”, and takes away the human rights of Palestinians.

“This unilateral decision follows the recent unjust attacks on innocent Palestinians by the Israelis in East Jerusalem and Gaza,” Ntshavheni said.

Israel obtained observer status at the AU last month, which it has been demanding for years and seen as a diplomatic win for the Jewish State.

Israel, which has relations with 46 of the AU member States, enjoyed observer status with the Organisation of African Unity until 2002 when the organisation dissolved itself and became the AU.

Cabinet has since called on the AU to reconsider its unilateral decision to grant Israel observer status in the AU.

“Cabinet remains unequivocally committed to efforts aimed at reviving a political process that would lead to the establishment of a viable Palestinian State, existing side by side in peace with Israel,” said Ntshavheni.

In a statement released by the Department of International Relations and Cooperation last week, it said South Africa firmly believes that as long as Israel is not willing to negotiate a peace plan without preconditions, it should not have observer status in the AU.

“The African Union cannot be a party in any way to plans and actions that would see the ideal of Palestinian statehood reduced into balkanised entities devoid of true sovereignty, without territorial contiguity and with no economic viability,” the department said at the time.

African Regional Cooperative Agreement

Meanwhile, Cabinet has approved the submission of the revised African Regional Cooperative Agreement for Research, Development, and Training related to Nuclear Science and Technology (AFRA) agreement to Parliament for another five years.

AFRA is an intergovernmental agreement established by African Union member States to further strengthen and enlarge the contribution of nuclear science and technology to socio-economic development on the African continent.

“South Africa has been an active member of AFRA and it collaborates with other member States to promote the agreement’s objectives on the African continent,” said Ntshavheni