The first wave of decolonisation saw African countries and Israel establishing relations on the basis of shared diplomatic missions. These links evolved significantly, reflecting international events and Israel’s emergence as a major power in the Middle East. Its new stature, confirmed by the Six-Day War (1967) and that of Yom Kippur (1973), together with the echoes of the Cold War on the continent, put an end to this mutual attraction; a notable exception to this is South Africa, whose relationship with Israel has, however, long been overrated. It is only since the 1990s that a more normal situation between African countries and Israel has started to emerge.