The Israeli Intelligence Ministry announced in a Sept. 8 statement that Chad has shown a “willingness to open an official mission in Jerusalem,” which Chad’s Foreign Ministry reportedly denied.
The Times of Israel reported that Abdelkerim Déby, the chairman of Chad’s cabinet and son of the country’s president, Idriss Déby, met with various Israeli officials on Sept. 8, including Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“At the request of Minister Cohen, General Déby responded positively to advancing the establishment of an official representative office of Chad in Jerusalem,” the Intelligence Ministry’s statement read.
Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the prime minister met with Déby and Ahmed Kogri, who heads Chad’s intelligence service. Netanyahu talked to the officials about “the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of representations, including the possibility of opening an embassy in Jerusalem,” according to the statement.
The Prime Minister discussed with them the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of representations, including the possibility of opening an embassy in Jerusalem.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 8, 2020
However, Chad’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement to Al Jazeera denying that the country will be opening a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem.
“We categorically deny any plan to open a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem,” the statement read.
The Times of Israel noted that Chad’s Foreign Ministry hasn’t posted a statement about it on its website or on social media.
The possible development with Chad comes after Kosovo became the first Muslim majority country to commit to moving its embassy to Jerusalem on Sept. 4; Serbia also plans to move its embassy to Jerusalem.
Additionally, a Sept. 1 report from the Israeli public broadcast outlet Kan stated that Bahrain will be the next Gulf Arab nation to normalize ties with Israel, although Bahrain officials have told United States officials that it won’t normalize relations with Israel until Saudi Arabia does so first. The Saudis have said that they won’t establish ties with Israel until the Palestinians have their own state.
Algemeiner Editor-In-Chief Dovid Efune tweeted, “Israel’s diplomatic progress in recent days/weeks includes moves towards the Jewish state by Malawi, Kosovo, Serbia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and now Chad. Each development is notable. Taken together it’s staggering.”
Israel's diplomatic progress in recent days/weeks includes moves towards the Jewish state by Malawi, Kosovo, Serbia, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and now Chad.
Each development is notable. Taken together it's staggering.@benj_kerstein @Algemeinerhttps://t.co/hzHVAmCQ74
— Dovid Efune (@Efune) September 8, 2020
