Netanyahu Welcomes Chad’s President Idriss Deby in Historic Visit to Israel By --Hana Levi Julian

Netanyahu Welcomes Chad’s President Idriss Deby in Historic Visit to Israel
By Hana Levi Julian
For the first time since the rebirth of the state of Israel in 1948, the President of Chad, Idriss Deby, has arrived for a visit to Israel.
He was welcomed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with whom he had a private meeting at 4:30 pm, and shared a working dinner at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem later in the evening
In between, President Reuven Rivlin hosted his African counterpart at his official residence, also in Jerusalem
Deby has ruled Chad since 1990
Israel currently has no formal diplomatic relations with the central African nation, which severed its ties with the Jewish State in 1972. About 55 percent of its 13.5 million citizens are Muslims; 40 percent are Christian
“This is another diplomatic breakthrough,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “This is an historic and important visit that comes against the backdrop of the efforts we led. I welcome the president of Chad’s arrival in Israel”
An Israeli delegation traveled to Chad last month for talks on the possibility on renewing diplomatic ties
Two years ago, then-Foreign Ministry director-general Dore Gold also traveled to Chad while in office to meet with Deby in July 2016 at his presidential palace in the Sahara Desert city of Fada for talks as well