By Zain Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA): Chad, a Muslim majority country, is set to open embassy in Tel Aviv in central Israel on Thursday after the resumption of their bilateral relations in 2019.

The announcement was made on Wednesday in a joint statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chadian President Mahamat Deby, who is in Israel for an official visit.

“Israel and Chad established relations between our two countries with your late father [former President of Chad Idriss Deby],” Netanyahu said in the statement issued by his office.

“We believe that our cooperation can help not only advance our relations and our cooperation but it is also part of Israel’s coming back to Africa and Africa coming back to Israel. We have common goals of security, prosperity and stability.” Netanyahu added.

Netanyahu visited Chad in January 2019 to re-establish ties with the Central African state.

In 2020 Israel signed normalization agreements with Morocco, Bahrain, Sudan and the United Arab Emirates as part of the U.S.-brokered “Abraham Accords.”

Israel and Chad established relations in the 1960s. But N’Djamena cut ties with Tel Aviv in 1972 2 after the Organization of African Unity, now called African Union, told its member states to cut diplomatic ties with Israel in solidarity with the Palestinians.

However, in November 2018, former Chadian President Idriss Deby, the late father of the current leader, visited Israel and committed cooperation with Israel.

Israel has also normalized diplomatic ties with Guinea. It has diplomatic relations with 46 African states, and 12 embassies across the continent. At least 13 African countries have also opened embassies in Tel Aviv, according to gisreportsonline.

Additional report by The Muslim News

[Photo:  Chad President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet in West Jerusalem on February 1, 2023. Photo by : Israel Govt Press Office handout/AA]