(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)
PM Benjamin Netanyahu met with Israel's ambassadors to African countries and told them:
"The pyramid of our foreign policy interests in Africa is as high as it has ever been, except perhaps in the 1960s.
"I want to say what our interest is. The first interest is to dramatically change the situation regarding African votes at the UN and other international bodies from opposition to support. Africa has moved to an intermediate stage, that of abstention.
"This is the first goal. I am purposely defining it because while there are many other goals it outweighs them all. Thanks to trade, technology and investments, we do profit somewhat but I think that the African countries profit no less or, in other words, even more in my view. This is fine, we have no objection, and this is good for humanity as well. It contributes to our other goals including our assistance against terror and radical Islam.
"Whether in the end or at the outset, our goal is to change their voting patterns given that the automatic majority against Israel at the UN is composed – first and foremost – of African countries. There are 54 countries. If you change the voting pattern of a majority of them you at once bring them from one side to the other. You have changed the balance of votes against us at the UN and the day is not far off when we will have a majority there. This sounds imaginary? It is not imaginary at all; anyone can do the simple math. Therefore, this is our goal. We want to erode the opposition and change it to support."