President William Ruto has stunned fellow African leaders by taking a different stance on the conflict between Israel and Palestine than the African Union.
Ruto came out in support of Israel during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling the Palestine offensive terrorism.
The president demanded that those responsible for the violence in Israel, which threatens international peace and security, be held accountable.
“Kenya stands in solidarity with the State of Israel and categorically condemns terrorism and attacks on innocent civilians in the country.”
“The people of Kenya and their government hereby express deepest sympathy and send condolences to the families of all victims,” Ruto said in a statement.
However, Ruto’s position opposed that of other African presidents who had opposing views on the issue.
Algeria’s Foreign Ministry, for example, published a statement referring to Israel’s strike on Gaza “that claimed the lives of innocent sons and daughters of the Palestinian people who fell as martyrs under the persistence of the Israeli occupation.”
Similarly, Tunisian President Kais Saied stated his “unconditional support for the Palestinian people.”
South Africa followed suit, condemning Israel while supporting Palestine.
On the other hand, the African Union, led by Chair Moussa Faki, condemned the war and expressed condolences to those harmed.
While Faki did not take sides, he did underline that the underlying cause of the war is the “denial of the fundamental rights of the Palestinian people, particularly the right to an independent and sovereign state.”
