A member of Kenya’s Parliament predicted last night that his country and most other Black African countries would resume diplomatic relations with Israel after Egypt and Israel exchange ambassadors on Feb. 26, But the MP, Abdullah Mwidau, said he could not estimate when the resumption of relations would actually begin.
Mwidau, who spoke to a leadership group of the North American Jewish Students’ Network, stressed that he was speaking for himself and not his government. He arrived in the United States yesterday after three days in Israel and is scheduled to make a three-week speaking tour of the U.S. under the auspices of the Youth Institute for Peace in the Middle East.
Kenya, which was one of the Black African nations to break diplomatic relations with Israel in 1973, nevertheless has continued to maintain friendly ties with Israel. Kenya was used as a refueling base by Israel during its rescue of hostages in Entebbe, Uganda, in 1976.
Mwidau said that the two countries have commercial and other ties and about 15 students from Kenya are presently studying in Israel. He said that if the Nairobi government decided to resume diplomatic relations with Israel it would have the overwhelming support of Parliament with perhaps only three or four votes against it.
ARABS HAVE NOT HELPED BLACK AFRICA
Mwidau indicated that when the majority of Black African nations broke diplomatic relations with Israel in 1973 they expected to receive economic benefits from the Arab oil producing states. “Mast African countries do not benefit from the Arab countries,” he declared. “The some price they sell oil to you (U.S.) they sell to Kenya.” He pointed out that the high oil prices and the world inflation which has hiked the prices of imports has especially hurt Kenya and other Black African nations.
“They (the Arabs) do not invest in our country,” Mwidau declared. He said all of the investments in Black Africa are by the U.S., Britain, other Western countries and Israel.
Mwidau, a Moslem, urged Jews not to look on all Moslems as their enemies. He said the Arabs are using Islam as a weapon, but “we African Moslems are not enemies of the Jewish community” and of Israel. He said that Jews, Moslems and Christians should join together in improving conditions for Africa. He said that if a Jewish community or organization would provide scholarships for Kenyan children to study in the U.S. or Israel this would have more affect than propaganda or international aid programs.
FELT AT HOME IN ISRAEL
Mwidau, the former mayor of Mombasa, one of Kenya’s major cities, said that he has always been a friend of the Jewish community in Kenya and of Israel. There are an estimated 400 Jews in Kenya out of a total population of 14, 340,000. He said that on his visit to Israel last week he felt at home. “I didn’t feel I was in a foreign country,” he said.
He spoke of praying at the Al Aqsa Mosque last Friday and how “happy” he was to see it was well taken care of. He also mentioned his delight at seeing Arab and Jewish children playing together in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem must never be divided, Mwidau said. He said Mecca is governed by a single country and Jerusalem should have only one government responsible for its administration, namely, Israel. He added that Jerusalem has been the capital of the Jewish State since the time of King David.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
