From Morocco to South Africa, Israel election watched closely across Africa

What the report says

As Israelis head toward the October 27 election, African governments are watching closely to see whether the next administration in Jerusalem will alter Israel’s ties with the continent, Al Jazeera reports. The article says the vote could shape how African states respond to the war on Gaza and to broader questions around diplomacy, trade, security and technology. It also notes that the contest appears tight, with no clear path for either Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc or the main opposition to win a majority, likely leading to coalition talks.

According to Al Jazeera, reactions across Africa remain divided. South Africa has taken the strongest public line against Israel, including its case before the International Court of Justice over alleged genocide, while other states have preserved or deepened relations. Chad recalled its ambassador in 2023, but Morocco has continued normalizing ties after restoring relations in 2020 under a U.S.-backed arrangement linked to Western Sahara. In September, Israeli and Moroccan foreign ministers met with a U.N. envoy in New York and announced plans to upgrade diplomatic relations and expand cooperation, though Al Jazeera says those steps were commitments rather than completed changes.

The report also points to the African Union as another arena where the conflict has created friction, especially over Israel’s observer-status dispute. Beyond diplomacy, it says security cooperation remains important for some countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has been discussing broader partnership with Israel. The article suggests that Africa’s responses are likely to stay country-specific, shaped by national interests as much as by views on the Palestinian issue.