Israel seeking to establish diplomatic relations with Chad

Israel has been holding secret talks over the past three months with Chad in an effort to establish diplomatic relations with the African state, Hebrew media sites have reported.

TV7 Israel quoted Israeli officials saying that “Tel Aviv has a great interest in renewing diplomatic relations with Chad, and in case such a plan is achieved, two other Muslim countries from the African continent, namely Niger and Mali, will follow Chad’s lead. Both countries will immediately normalise their diplomatic relations with Israel.”

The Israeli TV station indicated that Chad’s President Idriss Deby expressed his desire to send his son to convey a sensitive message to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the renewal of official public relations between the two sides.

TV7 Israel stressed that Israel established secret diplomatic relations with Chad three months ago. N’Djamena severed ties with Israel 40 years ago.

The Israelis are buying time with a truce that has not yet been reached

During the last conference held by UNESCO, Chad’s president asked Israel’s Ambassador to UNESCO, Carmel Shama, to seek to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries under the mediation of French Jewish businessman Philip Solomon and Rabbi Avraham Moyal, the Hebrew channel reported.

TV7 Israel stressed that the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry gave the green light for the move but stipulated that the president of Chad should send a letter to Netanyahu announcing the renewal of diplomatic relations with Israel as a condition for receiving the Chadian delegation.

During the past three years, Netanyahu has visited Africa three times in an attempt to establish diplomatic relations with African countries.