Ties with israel through the lens of ethiopia’s ambassador

A strong advocate for African-Israel relations, Neguise founded the Africa-Israel Caucus while serving in the Knesset from to He also championed Ethiopian aliyah Jewish immigration to Israel , most recently through Operation Rock of Israel, which brought over 3, Ethiopians to Israel last year. More than , Ethiopians have immigrated to Israel through programs, some under the Law of Return and others through initiatives like Operation Rock of Israel, which focused on reuniting first-degree relatives with families in Israel.

Now as a diplomat, Neguise shifts his focus from advocating for aliyah to strengthening ties between Addis Ababa and Jerusalem specifically and Africa and Israel in general. He still has not been formally inaugurated locally. Africa has fertile land and a growing population. My vision is the meeting between Israeli technology and African fertile soil to alleviate hunger and poverty.

Netanyahu returned in to visit Liberia and Kenya and in to Chad. Israel and Africa enjoyed strong relations until , when most African nations cut ties with Israel after the Yom Kippur War and the oil crisis, following a resolution by the OAU. However, many South Africans and other Africans have said the South African government does not represent their views on Israel.

Ethiopian Ambassador Tsegay Berhe wants to underline the close ties between Israel and his country, he doesn't start with the reestablishment of relations in.

He expressed confidence that more African states would normalize relations with Israel, though he could not predict which country would be first. His focus remains on expanding economic, innovation, and technology partnerships. Neguise aims to train the younger generation in artificial intelligence and digital innovation, enabling them to contribute to their home countries and strengthen future Africa-Israel relations.

He also believes this will boost tourism between the two regions. Many African countries, he added, have large Christian populations that support Israel due to their faith. Most Jews eligible for aliyah under the Law of Return have already arrived in Israel, with only a few dozen likely remaining.