Eban Attributes Recent Setbacks in Africa to Outside Pressure

Israel’s recent diplomatic setbacks in Africa were attributed by Foreign Minister Abba Eban today to “pressure from external sources” rather than the unpopularity of Israeli Middle East policies among African states. He spoke in reply to questions in the Knesset on Brazaville-Congo’s severance of diplomatic relations with Israel Sunday which follow similar breaks in-recent months by Chad. and Uganda. Eban noted that the governments in question were “especially vulnerable to the out side pressures.

Eban said that while the recent events in Africa had prompted a reappraisal of Jerusalem’s policies on that continent, there is no intention of radically altering Israel’s African policy. “In most African countries Israel continues to maintain her position and to strengthen here ties,” Eban said.

He noted that Israel will soon open new legations in Lesoto and Swaziland. Eban Avriel, a veteran diplomat and former Ambassador to Italy, went to Zaire (formerly Belgian Congo) this week on a mission to cement ties with that country and possibly enlarge Israel’s trade there.

ROLE OF RADICAL IDEOLOGY

Israeli diplomatic circles expressed the hope that the “dry rot” has ended and that the breaks with Brazaville, Chad and Uganda will not have a domino effect. They acknowledged certain diplomatic weak spots, notably Mali which “has a large Moslem population, but said they were encouraged by the fact that the Mali government has recently asked for Israeli technical aid.

Despite an official statement by the ruling party in Niger this week that Israel’s diplomatic representation was “inopportune,” officials here expressed the hope that there will be no break with that country. They said that Israel’s recent decision to reduce its representation in Niger to a non-resident charge d’affaires would have a profile-lowering effect and would minimize Arab pressures. Libya is known to be applying pressure on Niger to break with Israel and is accompanying it with financial blandishments.

Machinations by Libya are known to have been behind the ouster of Israelis from Uganda by President Idi Amin-last Sept., and both Libya and Saudi Arabia exerted pressure on Chad which broke with Israel last month. But the break by Brazaville-Congo was attributed here more to the radical ideology of that country’s rulers than to Libyan pressure. Some Israeli circles expressed fear that the radicalization sweeping Black Africa might bode ill for Israel’s hitherto friendly ties with states that have so far separated their own political views from their links with other countries.

NO UNITED FRONT AGAINST ISRAEL.

Senior officials here noted that despite recent disappointments in the United Nations, the Black African states so far had not presented a united front against Israel as they have against South Africa. They noted that eight African states abstained when an anti-Israel resolution came up in the General Assembly Dec. 8 and one was absent Twenty-four voted for the resolution.

Officials here said Israel was determined to maintain its position in Africa despite the setbacks. One reason, they said, was Israel’s favorable trade balance with that continent. Israel exports $40 million worth of goods to Africa and imports only $20 million worth. Another reason, the officials said, was Israel’s need to combat Arab efforts to isolate it diplomatically. Israel believes that diplomatic ties are of value in themselves even if very little practical results flow from them, the officials said.

They said Israel was inclined to take the advice of one of its best friends in Africa, President Houphouet-Boigy of Ivory Coast, who recently told an Israel envoy: “Times are bad for you, bad for Africa and bad for the whole free world. But things change Above all, don’t fold up your flag and pull out of Africa.”