As part of the renewed ties, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon met last week with Chad’s Ambassador Ali Alifei Moustapha.
Danon’s office said it was the first time the two ambassadors met, and that they discussed ways in which Israel could help Chad in various fields, including water and agriculture. Danon discussed with his Chadian counterpart the opening of a direct line of communication between the two nations regarding votes on Israel in the UN.Danon also invited Moustapha to join a delegation of UN ambassadors that he will be leading in Israel next month.
Following Chad President Idriss Deby’s visit to Israel in November, Chad – which had reflexively and consistently voted against Israel in the UN – did not vote on a December resolution in the UN General Assembly that condemned Hamas. Even before last week's formal reestablishment of diplomatic relations, that marked a significant change in Chad’s UN voting pattern.
The resolution failed to muster the two-thirds majority needed to pass, even though 87 countries supported the motion, 57 opposed, 33 abstained and 16, like Chad, did not vote.