The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has said that revoking the Israeli occupation’s status as an observer state should top the agenda of the coming African Summit.

Head of Hamas’ International Relations Office Mousa Abu Marzouq explained that granting the Israeli occupation a status at a major international forum, such as the African Union, would encourage it to commit further crimes against the Palestinian people.

In a press statement Wednesday, Abu Marzouq pointed out that the Israeli occupation is seen as a pariah state in the region and Africa.

“The Israeli occupation is a continuation of the settler colonial era of which the African continent has suffered for decades,” Abu Marzouq added.

He stressed that the Israeli occupation is the “most grotesque” version of the South African apartheid as stated by several human rights groups and international organisations. 

The senior Hamas official lauded the strenuous efforts being exerted by several African states, particularly Algeria and South Africa, to strip the Israeli occupation of any status at the African Union.