On the sidelines of the African summit hosted by U.S. President Donald Trump, Washington became the stage for unexpected Israeli diplomatic moves aimed at expanding normalization ties with African nations.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly held secret meetings with several African leaders, leveraging U.S. diplomatic momentum to push Israel’s regional goals.
During his stay in Washington, Netanyahu held a covert meeting with Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, taking advantage of Trump’s first Africa-focused summit. According to African intelligence sources, Netanyahu met with four other African presidents, as Israel aims to normalize ties with more African and Arab countries under American diplomatic backing.
These efforts come amid a renewed push to expand the Abraham Accords. However, public resistance in Muslim-majority states like Mauritania and security concerns over drug trafficking and Hezbollah-linked networks in West Africa remain key challenges.