JERUSALEM 25 Nov (ANA) - Chadian President Idriss Deby is in Israel for talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the first such visit by a leader of the northcentral African nation which severed bilateral ties in 1972.

 

Deby landed on Sunday in Tel Aviv, where he was received by Tzachi Hanegbi, minister for regional cooperation.

 

"It was my honor to welcome the President of Chad, Idriss Deby, to Israel. This historic visit is yet another diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and Africa," Hanegbi posted on Twitter.

 

Ofir Gendelman, a spokesperson for Netanyahu, quoted the Israeli prime minister as saying he will meet Deby "in a few hours" in Jerusalem.

 

"Chad is a large and important African country, with a majority Muslim population and no president of Chad has ever been to the state of Israel," Netanyahu is reported to have said at a cabinet meeting.

 

A statement by Netanyahu's office also called the visit "historic", adding: "This is the first visit of a Chad president in Israel since the establishment of the state [of Israel]. It follows many diplomatic efforts led by Prime Minister Netanyahu in the last few years."(ANA)

FA/ANA/25 November 2018------