The SAJBD has applauded the AU for its decision to grant Israel observer status, calling it a “bold and far-sighted decision” that demonstrates commitment to dialogue and bridge-building.
The South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD) issued a statement on Wednesday, 4 August 2021, applauding the African Union’s (AU) decision to grant Israel observer status. The SAJBD confirmed that in a letter to the AU’s Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, it had commended the AU’s decision, calling it a “bold and far-sighted.”
The SAJBD expressed that the move demonstrated the AU’s commitment to dialogue and bridge-building, and enhanced the potential for engagement between Israel and Africa in many important spheres. The SAJBD’s National Chairperson, Shaun Zagnoev, welcomed the decision but has said that he was “disappointed with the negative reaction by the South African Government which he and the SAJBD would have hoped would have embraced the decision as an opportunity for constructive engagement and dialogue.”
Zagnoev added that he hopes the South Africa government would come to reconsider its position, in light of the AU’s move, and make itself part of the positive new changes that lay ahead. The SAJBD also assured of its commitment to a two-state solution, with a viable Palestinian state living in peace alongside the Jewish state of Israel.
