Author: Ramzy Baroud
Affiliation: The Palestine Chronicle
Organization/Publisher: Politics Today
Date/Place: August 17, 2021/Turkey
Type of Literature: Analysis
Word Count: 2190
Keywords: Colonialism, Solidarity, scramble for Africa, Palestine, Israel.
Brief:
The collapse of both the Soviets and the Arab unified front on Palestine has opened the space for Israel to penetrate Africa. After the collapse of the Soviets against Americans and the loss of Arabs in the War of October 1973, Israel got momentum to expand its network of constant expansion in Africa. Though the first Israel-Africa ties date back to the 1950s, the defeat of the Arabs against the Israelis in 1973 triggered Israel to establish a strong position in Africa. With the collapse of the Soviets, who were a vanguard against the Americans and Israel particularly, a new era ushered in Israel-Africa strong relations. As a consequence, normalization between Arab states and Israel have carried on unabated in the last three decades as the Palestinian issue became marginalized. The driving force behind Israel’s decision to return to Africa is political and economic, but the main reason why Israel is mightily going deep in Africa is because Israel can no longer count on the US. With the US retreat in the Middle East, Israel concluded that it needs to constantly search for new allies. The fight of Israel to gain Africa seems ranging; the battle of ideology, politics and economic interests is likely to continue unabated between Israel and Africans for years to come. In this circumstance, Palestinians and their African supporters have a chance to win this battle by balancing the Israeli strategy in Africa. While Israel depicts itself as a survivor by bestowing favors and introducing technologies to African countries, Palestinians, in turn, should have the opportunity to build bridges of support and mutual solidarity with African countries. Palestine has much to offer, though with its modest capacities. “Palestinian doctors, engineers, civil defense and frontline workers, educationists, intellectuals and artists are some of the most highly qualified and accomplished in the Middle East”. On the African side, African universities, organizations and cultural centers serve as vibrant intellectual hubs. African pro-Palestine should keep a strategy in mind in tandem with Palestinians as a way of engaging with individuals (thinkers, philosophers, artists…) and societies. Although Israel is proudly reporting about Israel’s admission to the African Union (observer status), Africa is not a group of self-seeking leaders bestowing political advantages in exchange for meager return. Africa is the most powerful anti-colonial trend in the world, and it cannot be written off as a mere prize to be had or lost by Israel and its neocolonial partners.
By: Imad Atoui, CIGA Research Associate
