Netanyahu Visits Heart of Muslim Africa, Renews Israeli Ties with Chad

JERUSALEM, Israel - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an historic trip to Chad Sunday and announced the renewal of diplomatic ties between Israel and the African nation.

"The purpose of your visit is to bring our two countries closer and to cooperate," Chadian President Idriss Deby told Netanyahu.

Netanyahu's visit comes after Deby visited the Jewish state last November. He was the first Chadian leader to visit Israel.

Chad, a majority Muslim nation, cut ties with Israel in 1972. Last week's historic visit ended Chad's cold relations with Israel.

The two leaders held a brief press conference in which they said they signed several deals, but did not elaborate on what those deals were.

Meanwhile, Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists executed a deadly attack on a United Nations peacekeeping base in Mali Sunday in response to Netanyahu's visit.

"Ten peacekeepers from Chad were killed and at least 25 injured," UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement.

The peacekeepers were reportedly Chadian nationals.

The Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam Muslimeen group claimed responsibility for the attack.

The terror group suggested this was the first of many "responses" to Chad's relations with Israel.