On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the restoration of diplomatic links alongside the President of Chad, Idriss Déby, as the Israeli leader visited the country. Netanyahu and Déby had an extensive meeting, during which the details of the agreement were discussed and conclusions were drawn.
Netanyahu said in English during a statement alongside Déby at the N’Djamena presidential palace: “There is a lot that we can do together. We discussed ways to deepen our cooperation in every field, beginning with security, but also agriculture, food, water, energy, health and many more”.
He added: “Israel is making inroads into the Islamic world. This is the result of considerable effort in recent years. We are making history and we are turning Israel into a rising global power”. Israel has a record number of formal ties with 161 other countries around the world.
In 1972 because of pressures from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, Chad stopped formal ties with Israel.
The visit was marred with violence however, as Jihadist gunmen who were enraged with Chad for building ties with Israel, killed 10 Chadian peacekeepers and injured at least 25 others in an attack on a UN camp in northern Mali.
Netanyahu stated in Hebrew: “We’re making new inroads into the Muslim world… We are being welcomed here respectfully, just as we welcomed President Deby with great respect in Israel… Israel is breaking into the Muslim world. This is the result of a great effort during the last few years. We’re making history, and we’re turning Israel into a rising world power”.
The President of Chad said that “Chad will do everything it can to strengthen the ties between the two countries and the bilateral cooperation in various matters”. He added: “we are in favour of advancing a peace process between Israelis and Palestinians. And therefore, I renew my call on the State of Israel to engage in a peace process… based on previous agreements”.
52% of the population in Chad is Muslim and roughly 43% are Christian of the 15 million people who live in Chad.
Chad’s location is particularly important strategically for Israel – it could allow Israeli aircraft to shorten hours of its flight routes to Latin America. Prime Minister Netanyahu flew back from Chad through South Sudanese airspace, the first time Sudan, which still has air control authority over South Sudan, has given an Israeli aircraft permission to fly over its southern neighbour.
