Chad set to open embassy in Israel on Thursday: as leader meets Netanyahu and Mossad chief

Chad will inaugurate on Thursday an embassy in Israel, building on bilateral relations that were established five years ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.

The announcement on Wednesday came as Chadian President Mahamat Deby's office said he was on a 48-hour Israel visit.

Deby met Netanyahu and the head of Mossad David Barnea during the visit.

It comes amid a spate of normalisation agreements between several Arab states and Israel, leading to an angry backlash across the region.

The statement from N'Djamena did not provide further details on Deby's agenda. Netanyahu's office said the Chadian leader would officiate at the embassy inauguration.

It was not immediately clear where the embassy would be located.

Most countries keep embassies in Tel Aviv, Israel's commercial metropolis. Israel deems Jerusalem as its capital, but this status has not won wider international recognition.

Israel and Chad resumed ties in 2018 following a visit to Jerusalem by then-President Idriss Deby. The Muslim-majority African country had previously scaled down relations in protest at Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory in a 1967 war. The two countries reportedly maintained low-key relations throughout this period until a normalisation of ties was agreed.

The trip is the first to Israel for Deby, who took over after his father died in 2021.

Netanyahu has cast the upgrade of relations with Chad as part of his outreach to Arab and Muslim countries, which he wants to expand. 

Israel continues to occupy the Palestinian West Bank and has laid a devastating decade-long devastating siege on Gaza.