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Arabs campaign to keep Israel from gaining foothold in Africa

After Togo postponed the African-Israel Summit, Arab efforts continue to permanently cancel the event.
Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe arrives at the White House for a group dinner during the US Africa Leaders Summit August 5, 2014 in Washington, DC. AFP PHOTO/Brendan SMIALOWSKI        (Photo credit should read BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)
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CAIRO — Arab efforts to foil the African-Israel Summit that had been scheduled for Oct. 23-27 in Togo's capital, Lome, have met with some success and are multiplying. The summit's theme is “Israel is coming back to Africa, and Africa is coming back to Israel,” but currently no one is going anywhere.

The effort against the event had been underway for months when Togo President Faure Gnassingbe told Israel in September the summit would be postponed so organizers could make better preparations. Opponents of the meeting, including Palestinians, claimed their protests led to the indefinite delay, though many observers, including Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Emmanuel Nahshon, attribute the change to growing unrest in Togo, where there have been fierce protests against Gnassingbe’s rule.

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