A photo collage of Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Gilad and Kwesi Pratt Jnr
Veteran journalist and Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has criticised the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, Roey Gilad, following comments the envoy made regarding Ghana’s recent vote abstention on Iran’s nuclear compliance at a Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) meeting.
Speaking during a panel discussion on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana on June 18, 2025, Pratt condemned what he described as the “effrontery” of the ambassador for questioning Ghana’s foreign policy stance, accusing him of overstepping diplomatic boundaries.
“The arrogance of Israel and its officials is sickening, the Israeli ambassador in Ghana is teaching our government how to behave in international relations? Who is he to determine Ghana’s interests?” he questioned.
According to Pratt, Gilad’s reported call for Ghana to reconsider its traditional alignment with the African Union (AU), Non-Aligned Movement, and the Arab League represents an unacceptable intrusion into Ghana’s sovereignty.
“This is a direct insult to Ghana. He says our government is not pursuing Ghanaian interests well, who gave him that authority? These are decisions for the Ghanaian people to make,” he fumed.
Pratt argued that such interference would not have been tolerated under previous leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, or Jerry John Rawlings.
“This could never have happened under Nkrumah, Acheampong or Rawlings. Our government must show some muscle and defend our sovereignty,” he asserted.
Pratt called on the Ghanaian government to take immediate diplomatic action in response to what he sees as disrespectful conduct.
“I want to see this government take some action to protect national dignity. Let these diplomats understand that it is we, the Ghanaian people, who gave our leaders the mandate, not any foreign envoy,” he said.
The controversy stems from remarks made by Ambassador Gilad during a recent breakfast meeting with editors, where he expressed disappointment in Ghana’s abstention from the IAEA vote regarding Iran’s nuclear activities.
Gilad acknowledged Ghana’s sovereign right to abstain but suggested a rethink of its longstanding non-aligned policy, which he claimed is heavily influenced by the AU and Arab League.
He urged Ghana to take a more “balanced” approach to global issues and questioned whether abstention was in the country’s best interest.
“Even though Israel respects Ghana’s sovereignty and non-aligned stance, I don’t know whether this [abstention] serves the best interest for Ghana,” Gilad said.
Despite Ghana’s neutrality in the vote, the ambassador highlighted Israel’s support for Ghana in various sectors, including agriculture. He also pointed to visible signs of affinity between the two countries, such as the presence of Israeli flags on canoes at Accra’s beaches and the popularity of Israeli products at Makola Market.
However, these symbolic gestures, Gilad noted, do not always translate into support on the international stage, an observation that appears to have triggered Pratt’s fiery rebuttal.
Who are you to determine Ghana’s interest? This would never have happened under Nkrumah, Rawlings or Acheampong – Kwesi Pratt vents at the Israeli Ambassador to Ghana #GoodMorningGhana #MetroTV pic.twitter.com/PA16YiqnTi
— Metro TV Ghana (@metrotvgh) June 18, 2025
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