The chairman of the cabinet of Chad, Abdelkarim Déby, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at a meeting in Jerusalem, Sept. 8, 2020. Photo: Kobi Gideon / GPO.

In what appears to be another significant breakthrough in Israel’s relations with the Muslim world, the chairman of the cabinet of the government of Chad arrived in the Jewish state on Tuesday and said the African country would open a diplomatic mission in Jerusalem.

N12 reported that Abdelkarim Déby, who is the son of Chadian President Idriss Déby, told Israeli Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen that the mission would be established as early as next year.

The two men also agreed that an Israeli business delegation would travel to Chad in the near future, and the two countries would work together to promote agricultural projects and enhance technological and security cooperation.

Cohen and Déby further discussed the threat of terrorism against Chad by Shi’a militias headquartered on its borders.

Déby also expressed approval of Israel’s new normalization agreement with the United Arab Emirates.

After the meeting, Cohen said, “Tightening relations between Israel and Chad is a mutual interest for the two countries from both the security perspective and the economic perspective.”

Déby met later on Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“The most important thing is give my warmest regards to your father and to the people of Chad,” Netanyahu said. “I mentioned our relations in the discussions about beginning peace with the Emirates. I mention it and I want to do more than mention it. I want to be able to advance it even further. So welcome. It’s good to see you.”

Netanyahu visited Chad in early 2019, meeting with President Idriss Déby to restore diplomatic relations, which had been severed in 1972.

During the prime minister’s visit, President Déby expressed enthusiasm about promoting relations between Israel and the north-central African nation.