African governments are watching Israel's October 27 vote for signs of how the next government may handle Gaza and ties across the continent. The result could affect diplomacy, trade, security and African Union relations.
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01Summary
- 01Israel votes on October 27, with recent polling showing a close contest between Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc and a bloc of Jewish-led opposition parties.
- 02Neither side is projected to reach the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, so coalition talks are expected to follow.
- 03South Africa has taken Israel to the International Court of Justice and its National Assembly called in November 2023 for the Israeli embassy to be closed and diplomatic relations suspended.
- 04Morocco restored relations with Israel in 2020 and on September 16 Gideon Sa’ar and Nasser Bourita met in New York to reaffirm plans to upgrade ties, including embassies and ambassadors.
- 05The Democratic Republic of the Congo said talks with Israel on August 31 and September 1 covered security, defence, agriculture, infrastructure, energy and high technology.
02Why it matters
The vote could shape Israel’s stance on Gaza and the Palestinian question, which in turn may affect how African states deal with Israel on diplomacy, trade and security. It also matters because African governments are split between criticism and cooperation.
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