The African Union (AU) suspended yesterday its debate concerning Israel’s status as observer state. A group of countries have been demanding for the past few months to put up for vote a decision taken last July by Chairman of the AU Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat, to grant Israel such a status. These countries were hoping to reverse the decision via a general vote at the annual AU summit in Addis Ababa. Suspending the debate means that the issue will be brought up again for discussion next year, at the AU summit of 2023.

Newly elected Chairman of the AU Senegalese President Macky Sall said after the meeting that a special committee has been set up for this issue. The committee will consult with member states, with the goal of establishing a consensus on the matter. “It will be composed of eight heads of state and governments, and will present its recommendations at the next summit," he noted.

The suspension of the debate presents yet another victory for Israeli diplomacy. Israel held observer status at the Organization of African Unity that preceded the AU. But when it was dissolved in 2002, making room for the new organization, Israel did not regain the same status. Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi led the campaign against Israel, threatening to withhold Libyan financial support from the body, if such a move was advanced. Israel submitted two official requests to become observer — one in 2003 and one in 2016 — but was rejected on both.

Then, following the signature of the Abraham Accords with the Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan, and when a new government took place in Jerusalem last May, Israel decided to try again. Ambassador Aliza Bin Noun, who served at the time as head of the Africa division at the Foreign Ministry, engaged personally in this mission. With the blessing and encouragement of Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, Israeli diplomats were instructed to raise the issue at every meeting they held with African counterparts.