Revolutionary Africans must not only stand with the Palestinian struggle against settler colonialism but also understand that Zionism itself has played and continues to work against African liberation.
Zionist Israel gave political, economic, and military support to the racist apartheid regime in Azania/South Africa to further the oppression and exploitation of African people. Also, Jewish Africans from Ethiopia serve as cheap, exploited labor and suffer from the most egregious racism at the hands of their fellow “Jews” from Zionist Israel in occupied Palestine.
Standing against and overcoming Zionism is not just a struggle to liberate and return the land of the Palestinians to them but also it is part and parcel of the Africa people’s struggle for true liberation. African people must be a part of the struggle against Zionism.
*************************************
U.S. Out of Africa: Voices from the Struggle
AWB: We have seen increasing cooperation between African states and Israel. How does this trend serve Israel and the U.S.? Can you speak to an example of the impact these external forces have had on the continent?
Djibo Sobukwe: Some history is helpful, and to understand Israel we need to have an understanding of political Zionism. In 1975 the UN made a resolution declaring and equating Zionism with racism and 30 African countries voted for the resolution 4 against and 12 abstained.
We have to understand that Zionism is a racist, imperialist political ideology and movement that misuses the religion of Judaism to justify the settler colonial occupation of Palestinian land. However political Zionism long preceded the founding of Israel in 1948 and the relationship between it and the African continent goes back to at least the South African Zionist federation founded in 1898.
No relationship on the African continent however equaled the historic and profound political, economic and military relationship than the Israel – South Africa relationship. What is also known is the intimate cooperation between the US and Israel in supporting the apartheid regime in South Africa. It is not surprising that these white supremacist settler colonial states have cooperated in the pillage of Africa. Aside from this relationship it is also important to remember that Israel was involved in an attack on Egypt in 1956 as part of its war against Arab countries that took up arms to resist the colonization of Palestine.
After the Anglo-French, Israeli Suez attack in 1956 Israel developed a conscious policy to cultivate relationships with non-Arab African countries that would become a large voting bloc in the UN upon their independence through a soft power offensive that included: Containment of Arab influence in Africa and the extension of economic relations with non-Arab league member states, thereby gaining diplomatic support among non-Arab African states for Israel. It is clear that Israel has served as an agent of neo-colonialism and balkanization in Africa. This is some background to your questions.
So fast forward to more recent times, since the illegal US/NATO destruction of Libya 10 years ago, the US has forced through economic coercion and the threat of putting countries on the “terrorist list,” followed by sanctions if they don’t agree, to open their markets and relations with Israel. This has been a big factor in African and Arab governments cooperating with it and after many Arab governments caved into Israel and US demands increasingly African governments have followed suit. Israel continues to be an agent of neo-colonialism, balkanization and war. It is among the top 10 arms dealers in the world particularly to Africa and Latin America and has provided military training to many forces of colonialism and neo-colonialism from the South African apartheid regime to Mobutu in DRC to Kagame in Ruanda, to neocolonial governments in Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria just to name a few.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a political and economic alliance of six countries in the Arabian Peninsula: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Three GCC countries, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE formed the anti-Qaddafi Arab front and played a pivotal role in the illegal war and destruction of Libya in 2011. The book edited by former congress woman Cynthia McKinney, titled The Illegal War on Libya, gives detailed documentation of their involvement from elite military forces, weapons and support for Al Qaeda allied terrorists in Libya.
Before its destruction Libya was a country with the highest standard of living and Human Development Index (HDI) in Africa. As Nelson Mandela once said, Qaddafi was a friend and supporter of the South African (and Palestinian) liberation movements and anti-colonial struggle. The destruction of Libya has opened the door to increased terrorist activity in the whole Sahel region of Africa and therefor giving justification for further militarization by AFRICOM and French military forces.
AWB: The Horn of Africa is a particular area of focus, and we’ve seen an increase in economic and military engagements under the guise of peacemaking. What should we make of these developments? How do Israel and the GCC benefit from acting as U.S. allies in the new scramble for Africa?
Djibo Sobukwe: Well, Israel and the GCC are all strong allies in the US led “war on terror” and have strong economic relations including US weapons sales in the billions. The GCC countries have increasingly growing economic investments in Africa and have military “security” relationships with African countries. Saudi Arabia for example is a top investor in agriculture and in its effort to maintain food security purchased 500,000 hectares of land in Tanzania in 2009. The UAE invested an estimated $11 billion in capital in Africa in 2016 and is reported to be the second largest investor in Africa after China. Qatar also entered into a $4 billion deal in 2018 to manage Sudan’s Red Sea port.
So investment is one thing, but when this comes in exchange for military cooperation in a criminal war on Yemen and acceptance of Saudi and UAE military bases on African soil specifically in the horn of Africa, it really demonstrates the weakness of neocolonial Africa that result in unhealthy relationships and outcomes for the people characteristic of the new scramble for Africa.
*************************************
Pantsula Podcast Ep. 15 Neo-Colonialism
On this episode of the Pantsula Podcast, the All-African People's Revolutionary Party organizers Jesse, Evan and Jeffrey define and discuss Neo-Colonialism.
April 19, 2021 by Kaji Circle A-APRP
Why Kenya Must Reject the U.S. Free Trade Agreement
The proposed U.S. Free trade agreement is thinly veiled imperialism that will destroy livelihoods in both Kenya and the U.S.
April 15, 2021 by Adhiambo Kasuku
Do or Die: Black Liberation and the Climate Apocalypse
Climate change was activated and advanced by the West through the enslavement and colonization of African people and continued through today’s imperialism and neo-colonization.
April 15, 2021 by Christian Gines
Why Bobi Wine Met With Juan Guaido
A denunciation of Wine’s reactionary declaration of a synergy between the democratic struggles in Uganda and attempted coups in Venezuela led by Guaido and Right-Wing forces.
April 8, 2021 by Sobukwe Shukura
How Misinformation Is Fueling Diplomatic Tensions In Ethiopia
Misinformation regarding the dire situation in Tigray serves to make political and economic capital out of the misery of Ethiopians.
April 4, 2021 by Desta Heliso
African Solidarity with Palestine
There is a need to raise the call to challenge and protest the Zionist Israeli state, whilst finding ways to support Palestinian people.
March 19, 2021 by Pan-Africanism Today
*********************************
Join the U.S. Out of Africa Network to get the AFRICOM Watch Bulletin in your inbox.
Banner photo: Rwandan President Paul Kagame meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in 2018. (GPO)