Netanyahu announces that he will travel to Chad to restore relations after 46 years

Without warning, the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has returned to meet this Tuesday with the president of Chad, Idriss Déby, who on Sunday started an unexpected visit to Israel to restore the ties broken from 46 years ago. The head of the israeli Government announced that it will travel “soon” to the african country of muslim majority, in order to resume the diplomatic relations. Both leaders spoke in Jerusalem about “the struggle against terrorism and the strengthening of cooperation” on bilateral, according to a press release of the Cabinet of the prime minister, who did not specify a date for the holding of a meeting in n'djamena.

In its policy of diplomatic opening towards the arab world and the african continent, mr Netanyahu has embarked on tours and visits with the goal of breaking the regional isolation suffered by the jewish State after the occupation of the palestinian territories for more than half a century. The israeli prime minister has predicted that “very soon” will travel to other arab countries, within a strategy driven by the “economic strength and technological” israeli. Sudan, in Africa, and Bahrain, in the Gulf, is presented as the next objectives.

Israel only with the express acknowledgement from Egypt and Jordan, which respectively signed peace treaties in 1979 and 1994. In the past few months, however, Netanyahu has revived diplomatic contacts undertaken following the Oslo Accords (1993) and who had been suspended after the outbreak of the Second Intifada (2000-2005). The head of the Government visited a month ago in Muscat, the sultan Qaboos of Oman, and three of their ministers have attended international meetings held in countries of the Gulf, Casinomaxi concerned as Israel for the rise of the presence of Iran in the region.

Netanyahu has made efforts in past years to extend the diplomatic relations in Africa, where it has already been made three tours and has planned an upcoming visit to countries of the center of the continent. Sources of the delegation chadian cited by the israeli press have suggested that the journey of Déby to Israel has been focused on “matters of security”. “We share the fight against the scourge of this century is terrorism”, said Sunday the president. The Army of Chad has acquired weapons and military equipment to Israel in order to fight the rebellion jihadist affiliated to Boko Haram.

The chadian Army has recently received from the united States vehicles and naval vessels as a contribution to their struggle against groups related to the Islamic State in west and central Africa. Chad has become an emerging military power and vital ally of the West in the operacines jihadist terrorism in Mali, the head of missions to regional military against Boko Haram.

“The suppression of diplomatic ties in 1972, has not prevented to maintain good relations,” stressed the president of Chad at the start of his visit, which was announced a few hours before he landed his plane in Israel. He also recalled that “the palestinian problem” must be solved on the basis of an “open dialogue”. More than half of chadians are muslim by religion, compared to 40% who declare themselves protestant christians or catholics. The responsible palestinians have received with concern the diplomatic opening israel to the muslim countries. Now try to that the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation will meet as soon as possible to curb the “normalization” of relations with the Hebrew State.

The general Déby, of 66 years, came to power in n'djamena after the overthrow of the dictator Hissène Habré in 1990. In 2005 amended the Constitution to stay in power almost indefinitely after having won all the elections that have been convened since 1996. The last elections were held two years ago, with the main opposition leaders jailed, and state institutions controlled by his party. Amnesty International denounces that the chadian authorities “violate the right to freedom of association through restrictions illegal”.